《The Ace Bigshot Becomes A Farmgirl》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Push Her Into It Chapter 1: Push Her Into It Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Woof, woof woof.¡± Shu Yu, only four years old and frail, lay on the ground with all four limbs, trembling with fear yet fiercely trying to scare the dog in front of her by barking, hoping it would go away. The dog wasn¡¯t big; it barked back a few times. Shu Yu clenched the stone in her hand and threw it. Whimpering, the dog turned and ran. Shu Yu heaved a long sigh of relief, quickly picked up the bun from the ground, dusted it off, and, with her stomach growling, devoured it. She hadn¡¯t eaten more than a few bites when suddenly a scolding voice rang out beside her, ¡°Shu Yu, what are you doing?¡± As Shu Yu turned around, she saw her own mother, Mrs. Xue, approaching with a dark expression, striding over and slapping the bun out of her hands. The already small bun rolled on the ground, disappearing into a crack never to be seen again. Shu Yu swallowed, reluctantly turning her gaze away, and unsteadily stood up, ¡°Mother, I¡­¡± ¡°Slap.¡± Mrs. Xue slapped her across the face, sending her tiny figure flying. ¡°You are the third young daughter of the Shu family, fighting with a dog for food! Don¡¯t you have any shame? How embarrassing this is?¡± Shu Yu wiped the blood from her nose and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± She hadn¡¯t eaten for two days. ¡°You still have the face to say you¡¯re hungry! If it weren¡¯t for you dirtying my clothes, would I be laughed at by the other concubines? This is a lesson for you; you can¡¯t even endure this bit of hunger, what good are you?¡± Tears were almost overwhelming Shu Yu; she hurried forward, grabbed Mrs. Xue¡¯s sleeve, and pleaded both urgently and cautiously, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I¡¯m sorry Mother. I was thoughtless. I won¡¯t eat anymore, I¡¯ll never eat again, please don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°Look at your hands, they¡¯re still bloody, and you¡¯ve dirtied my skirt again. Go away.¡± Mrs. Xue pushed her away, disgust written all over her face. Shu Yu stumbled backward, falling to the ground. Mrs. Xue turned to the maid nearby, ¡°Lock her in the dark room, starve her for another two days. She really has no sense of remorse.¡± Finally, Shu Yu couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer. The maid picked her up and took her straight to the dark room. Shu Yu curled up in a corner, hugging her knees and sobbing silently; her blood-stained clothes glowing bright red. ¡°Mother, I was wrong, I won¡¯t do it again, I¡¯m sorry. Please, can I come out? It¡¯s so dark in here, and there are bugs that might bite my hands. I¡¯m scared, I¡¯m not hungry anymore, really, I¡¯m not.¡± As Shu Yu wiped her tears and bowed her head, she suddenly saw a snake that had somehow entered, rearing up and flicking its tongue at her. Her breath stopped, and she panically trembled as her eyes widened. But it seemed the snake sensed something; suddenly, it leaped toward her. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shu Yu abruptly woke up from her bed, glancing at the dimly flickering lamp beside her, and slowly exhaled. She held her chest, thinking about the dream she just had, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It wasn¡¯t just a dream; it was a memory from this body¡¯s childhood. Shu Yu had transmigrated from the modern era to the Dasu dynasty¡¯s Dongan Province a year ago, taking over the body of 14-year-old third daughter of the Shu family. Because of this, her recollections of the original owner¡¯s memories were incomplete, resurfacing bit by bit in such ways. She didn¡¯t know where the original owner had gone, whether she was completely gone or had experienced something else. But Shu Yu knew the ending of the book all too well. As the third daughter, a concubine¡¯s child of the Shu family, she had little presence in the book, and no significant connection to the main male and female characters. However, the antagonistic supporting female character in the book was the third daughter of the Shu family, her current eldest sister. The eldest daughter adored the male protagonist, but she ended up jeopardizing the entire Shu family. Just three months later, the whole Shu family was to be exiled, and as a minor character, she was included too. Knowing the end, Shu Yu naturally was not willing to follow the conclusion outlined in the book. Though she was not highly valued in this family, she was unwilling to be exiled to the frontier. However, she soon discovered that even if she altered the process, the powerful plotline would still bring the ending back to its original course. After two attempts, she ceased her fruitless endeavors. As for the fate of the Shu family described in the book, it only mentioned exile. Life after exile wasn¡¯t covered in the book; whether it was good or bad was for her to decide. From that point on, Shu Yu silently assumed the role of the invisible third daughter of the Shu family. In her previous life, Shu Yu¡¯s parents were killed due to their research by a gang. Shu Yu bore the humiliation for more than a decade, desperately strengthening herself, maxing out her skills, and braving numerous challenges to finally reach the side of the man known as ¡°retired¡± but in reality controlled everything from behind the scenes, becoming one of his indispensable confidantes. She then used her own strength to destroy the large gang, avenging her tragically deceased parents. But unbeknownst to her, her adversaries had a final trick up their sleeve, and she also lost her life, becoming the current third young daughter of the Shu family. Compared to her previous life of constant scheming and walking on thin ice, her current life was surprisingly not bad¡ªeating, drinking, and sleeping. Although there were occasional conflicts, as an invisible person, they were unlikely to harm her, and at least she didn¡¯t need to worry about life-threatening dangers. As for her birth mother, Mrs. Xue, Shu Yu and she were like strangers, ignoring each other. Three more months, and after three months, she would be able to break away from the plot and find a way to sever ties with the Shu family. Shu Yu had a nightmare, feeling incredibly thirsty, she got out of bed to pour a glass of water. Little did she know, just as she stepped down, a hissing noise suddenly emerged from nearby. She swiftly turned around, only to see a snake rushing toward her. Damn, the nightmare actually came true. The color drained from Shu Yu¡¯s face, she grasped the snake by its throat and flung it fiercely onto the ground, instantly crushing its head. The snake¡¯s body twitched twice before lying still. Frowning, Shu Yu wondered how a venomous snake could have made its way into her room. Just then, footsteps approached from outside, and the door was banged open abruptly. Shu Yu instinctively grabbed some clothes to throw over herself, then frowned at the two old women who barged in, ¡°What are you doing here so late at night?¡± The two old women, expressionless, walked through the inner chamber to her and said indifferently, ¡°The third Miss, the old lady is looking for you, come with us.¡± Frowning, Shu Yu felt that something was amiss. If her grandmother wished to speak to her, a simple call would have sufficed, yet these two old women had directly invaded her room. Moreover, that snake¡ªcould it be connected to them? Cautiously, she stood up, nodded, and followed the two old women out the door. The three of them walked through the courtyard to the back garden, encountering no one along the way. Even though it was night, it shouldn¡¯t have been so silent. They quickly arrived at the lotus pond in the Shu family¡¯s backyard, which was barely adorned with a few sparse lotus leaves. There, not only was the old lady of the Shu family waiting by the pond, but so were the Head Master, Second Lord, and several young masters and misses. Such a grand assembly? Shu Yu was pushed before the old lady, who just yesterday looked at her with kindness, now her eyes brimmed with intense loathing. As if viewing Shu Yu as something filthy, she even stepped back slightly, then waved her hand and directed the two old women, ¡°Push her down there.¡± Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Not the Daughter Chapter 2: Not the Daughter Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Push her into it? Lotus pond?¡± Shu Yu immediately took a step to the side and frowned. ¡°Wait, are you trying to kill me? Why?¡± Her gaze swept across the few people present, including her father and siblings, but no one stood up to speak. The old lady didn¡¯t even want to look at her. It was the old woman in charge beside her who spoke up and said coldly, ¡°Miss¡­ Oh, no, you¡¯re no longer the third daughter of the Shu family. You¡¯re just a bastard from who knows where. That year, Mrs. Xue bribed a doctor to pretend to be pregnant, and on the day of birth, she bought a baby from outside to impersonate the third young daughter of the Shu family. That baby was you.¡± Shu Yu¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, and a rare look of surprise flashed across her face. She couldn¡¯t believe she wasn¡¯t the daughter of the Shu family. However, the book did not mention this at all. She wondered if her arrival had caused a butterfly effect. Just as Shu Yu was puzzled, the old woman beside the old lady spoke again. you¡¯ve enjoyed 14 years of a carefree life in the Shu family. Now that the matter has been exposed, it¡¯s natural to set things right.¡± Shu Yu raised her head abruptly. ¡°What do you mean by setting things right? You mean to push me into the lotus pond and drown me?¡± The old lady finally opened her mouth. ¡°The Shu family can not allow such a stain like you to exist.¡± Shu Yu was speechless. She didn¡¯t know if she should say ¡°f *ck¡± in her heart. ¡°So, the snake in my room just now was also your doing?¡± The eldest daughter of the Shu family snorted coldly. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t feel as much pain when you¡¯re bitten to death by a snake.¡± Shu Yu looked at the others. Everyone felt that the old lady¡¯s decision was right. The Shu family¡¯s reputation was more important than anything else. Moreover, she was just a bastard child. If she lost her life, no one would care. Shu Yu now understood why the Shu family had ended up in exile. It was likely that they would also assist the female supporting character to seek death. Two old women had already come over with two ropes to tie Shu Yu¡¯s hands. Shu Yu subconsciously wanted to make a move, but on second thought, she stopped. Now, she couldn¡¯t change the ending. The Shu family would be safe and sound until they were exiled three months later, so she didn¡¯t need to waste her effort. Three months later¡­ Then she would take revenge. However, she couldn¡¯t just ¡°die¡± like this. Shu Yu suddenly laughed. Her gaze swept across the crowd. ¡°If you want to kill me, sure. However, before I die, can you let me say a few words?¡± ¡°You have prepared your last words?¡± The youngest daughter sneered, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. Let¡¯s see what you have to say.¡± Shu Yu¡¯s hands were tied behind her back as if her usual weak appearance was gone. She only appeared bigger in size to everyone. Shu Yu¡¯s gaze stopped on the person on the far left. ¡°Mr. Shu, the mistress of Jin Taixiang is as beautiful as a flower, right? She¡¯s also pregnant recently, and it was the first Madam who sold her, but you brought her back in the blink of an eye. It¡¯s true love indeed.¡± Mr. Shu¡¯s eyes widened. He immediately wanted to explain faced with First Madam¡¯s shocked gaze. However, Shu Yu immediately said, ¡°Madam, your nephew killed his second wife. You¡¯ve been discussing with the aunt about letting my second sister marry him, who is also a concubine¡¯s daughter, right? Not only can it solve the problem, but it can also give an explanation to the maiden family.¡± ¡°Second Master, the money you owe the gambling den was paid by the old lady for you, right? But if you continue to gamble, you¡¯ll have to use the money from the public.¡± ¡°Second Madam, you drugged Mrs. Liu and caused her to have a miscarriage. It broke Second Master¡¯s heart. It¡¯s no wonder that he drank to drown his sorrows and went to the gambling den to gamble.¡± ¡°Sister, you¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, shut up, I told you to shut up.¡± The old lady clutched her walking stick tightly. Seeing the change in the expressions of the people she had mentioned, she immediately gave the two old women behind her a look. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing anything?¡± Shu Yu felt that it was a pity. ¡°didn¡¯t you ask me to explain my last words clearly?¡± When the Shu family was exiled, the things they found out were not just these. These things were all written in the books. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. I¡¯ve really underestimated you. You¡¯re usually quiet, and even when you¡¯re dying, you¡¯re still trying to sow discord and destroy the harmony of my family. It¡¯s simply abominable.¡± The old lady was so angry that she could no longer maintain the calmness on her face. She hit the ground in exasperation. The other people of the Shu family also echoed one after another. The two old women did not dare to delay any longer. They tied a large stone to Shu Yu¡¯s ankle and pushed her into the Lotus pond in a hurry. The old lady only heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Shu Yu¡¯s body sink to the bottom of the pool. However, what she didn¡¯t know was that when Shu Yu sank, She had already untied the rope around hER wrists. When She reached the bottom of the pool, the rope and the stones around his ankles had also been freed. She dove forward and stuck half her head out from under a lotus leaf. The people on the shore had not left yet as if they were certain that she would not come up. The old lady instructed the two maids, ¡°Tomorrow night, you will fish her out. Just say that she came out to enjoy the cool night and fell into the pond.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two old women hurriedly agreed. The old lady then said to the Shu family¡¯s Head Master, ¡°Later, take care of Mrs. Xue too. Tell the public that Mrs. Xue couldn¡¯t bear the pain of losing her daughter and died of depression.¡± The Head Master also agreed without any objections. However, Shu Yu remembered that Mrs. Xue did not die in the book. She was also on the list of exiles. She did not know how she had managed to survive. But in this way, Shu Yu understood why Mrs. Xue had been so cruel to her own daughter. Not only had Shu Yu suffered from hunger and fought with the dog for food, but she had also been left in the room to fend for herself with a high fever. She had knelt in the courtyard under the scorching sun and admitted her mistakes until she fainted. She had almost been beaten to death by Mrs. Xue. Everyone in the Shu family thought that Mrs. Xue was unhappy that Shu Yu was a girl, so she was angry and didn¡¯t get close to her. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Message Chapter 3: Message Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu used to think so too. She wanted to get her mother¡¯s approval and had always been very obedient, not crying, not throwing a tantrum, and being very careful. However, it was of no use. Mrs. Xue would only detest her more and more. She would either hit or scold her, and her verbal humiliation would be even more hurtful. Now, everything could be explained. Seeing that the Shu family had left, Shu Yu quietly swam to the shore and came out of the lotus pond. Fortunately, the old lady didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of this and had already asked the servants to go back. They didn¡¯t meet anyone on the way. However, because of what she had said earlier, the lights in their courtyard had not been put out. Occasionally, there would be the sound of quarrels, and the sound of the old lady fainting could be vaguely heard. Shu Yu smiled and felt her way back to her courtyard. She found clean clothes to change into and packed a few things that were not eye-catching. Then, she climbed out of the Shu family¡¯s door with ease. The sky was already starting to light up, and there were a few pedestrians on the road. The city gates of Dongan Province would open in another 15 minutes, and Shu Yu planned to leave the city. If the Shu family couldn¡¯t find her body tonight, they would definitely send people to look for her secretly. However, the Shu family was too busy to take care of themselves now. The words she said last night were enough to cause chaos in the Shu family for a while. Just as Shu Yu was about to set off, she saw a Daoist nun standing not far away. The Daoist nun looked a little familiar. She seemed to be dressed in the Dongqing Temple outside the city. Just as Shu Yu was feeling strange, the Daoist nun had already come forward and handed her a box. ¡°Miss, the dean asked me to give this to you.¡± ¡°Master Dongqing?¡± A year ago, when Shu Yu followed the Shu family to Dongqing Temple to pray for blessings, she accidentally fell off the cliff and the soul in her body was replaced by her. For this reason, she recuperated in Dongqing Temple for more than half a month before returning. During her recovery, she got to know the master of Dongqing Temple. Shu Yu could tell that the dean was not an ordinary person. He was quite an expert, especially in fortune-telling. He was very accurate. Shu Yu was quite interested. After learning from him for half a month, she had also secretly called him master a few times. The Daoist nun nodded and said, ¡°He has gone out to travel. Before he left, he told me to wait here. If I see you going out, I should give this box to you.¡± Shu Yu felt strange. She opened the box. There was a letter inside, and, strangely, a household registration pass. ¡°How did her master know that I would need this?¡± Shu Yu quickly opened the letter, and the words of the Dongqing Temple dean appeared on the paper. ¡°Yu, when you read this letter, I will have already left. Go and find your biological parents. If you don¡¯t pay off some debts, it will be difficult for you to move a step. This is your parents¡¯ address and name. Take care.¡± Shu Yu¡¯s pupils constricted. She only found out last night that she was not the daughter of the Shu family, but her master even knew who her biological parents were and where they lived. ¡°Could fortune-telling really be so accurate?¡± Shu Yu felt that something was amiss. She kept the letter and asked the nun in front of her, ¡°What else did the master say before he left? ¡± ¡°He said that if you have any questions, you can go to the address on the letter and you will know.¡± The little Daoist nun paused and suddenly raised her eyes to look at her. Her voice was much softer. ¡°Master also said that the Shu family would know of your identity because she revealed it. Actually, I have been waiting for you here for two days. Shu Yu was speechless. She found it outrageous. ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me first instead of giving a message to the Shu family?¡± Shu Yu¡¯s face darkened. She closed the box with a thud, turned, and left. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Going to Shangshi Village Chapter 4: Going to Shangshi Village Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu left the city and took out the letter from the box. Written on it was her biological parents¡¯ address: Dongan Province, Jiangyuan County, Wenlan Town, Shangshi Village. She didn¡¯t know about Shangshi Village or Wenlan Town, but she knew about Jiangyuan County. It could be considered the furthest county in the entire Dongan Province, and the poorest one. Shu Yu sneered. She didn¡¯t want to go back to her family. Since she had already left the Shu family, where could she not go under the vast sky? Why should she be tied to those who had nothing to do with her? She had nothing to worry about in this world. She closed the box and decided to walk in a random direction. She had only taken a few steps when the Daoist nun¡¯s words flashed through her mind. If she had any questions, they would be solved if she went to the address on the letter. Questions¡­ Of course, she had them! For example, how did her master know about her background, and what was all the talk about debts? It couldn¡¯t be the debt of being born and raised, right? Also, what was her master thinking? If these questions were not answered and she still could not change her fate of being exiled after three months, would she never be able to find their answers? Shu Yu was not a procrastinator. Since she wanted to know, then she would go and take a look. She didn¡¯t want to be muddleheaded and not know anything. She still had some money in her hands, which she had earned this year by going out when the Shu family was not paying attention. However, due to the limitations of her identity, time, and place, she had only managed to swindle¡­ Ahem, earn a little. At first, she had planned to earn some capital so that she could lead a good life after being exiled and reaching her destination. She had wanted to put in more effort in the last three months and save more, but who knew that something unexpected would happen? To think she was not a child of the Shu family. She was worried that her belongings would be confiscated when she was exiled, so she hid her money outside. She had already taken them with her earlier. Now, she only had two notes, which were worth 60 taels, how pitiful. Shu Yu pitied herself for two seconds, then rented a carriage and went straight to Jiangyuan County. She only arrived after a day of traveling at full speed. When they reached the county, Shu Yu gave the driver the fare and let him go. Then, she strolled around the county. Although she had been in this world for a year, she had spent most of her time in the Shu family. The rest of her time had been spent walking around the city. The furthest place she went was Dongqing Temple. Although Jiangyuan County was poor, it was very lively. Being here, Shu Yu actually felt a rare sense of peace that made people calm down. Seeing that it was getting late, she found an ox-cart at the city gate that would pass by Shangshi Village. Just as she was about to get on, she saw that there were other villagers on the ox-cart. Most of the people had baskets in front of them, which took up quite a lot of space. On the contrary, she was only carrying a small bag. The others found her strange when they saw her, and they whispered to each other as they looked at her. Shu Yu¡¯s ears were sharp, so she could vaguely hear a few words. ¡°Where is this girl from? She doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s short of money. Why is she squeezing into the same ox-cart as us?¡± Shu Yu looked at herself. She had already changed into a light and simple dress. However, she still seemed out of place with the women before her. Shu Yu hesitated for a moment, but she still got down from the ox-cart and said to the old man driving the cart, ¡°Sir, can you wait for me for 15 minutes?¡± ¡°No problem. We¡¯re setting off at four p.m..¡± Four p.m., which meant there were still nearly 15 minutes left. She could make it. Shu Yu turned around and walked back into the county, not to change her clothes, but to buy some things. Seeing the things in the women¡¯s baskets, she thought that she should bring something with her when visiting her parents. Shu Yu had never thought of acknowledging her biological parents. After all, she didn¡¯t know who the other party was and had no feelings for them. Now that she was all alone and had nothing to worry about, why should she seek trouble? Besides, she still didn¡¯t know if her biological parents were the ones who sold her to the Shu family. She was only going to Shangshi Village to solve the doubts in her heart. That being said, she had to find a reason for her sudden visit. If she brought a gift over, it would be difficult for the other party to drive her out. It would also be easier and more convenient for her to ask what she wanted. In her previous life, Shu Yu had been able to climb to the position of a big shot¡¯s confidant, so she was very well-versed in such human communications. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Madam Liang Chapter 5: Madam Liang Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu had just strolled around the area and was already familiar with the surrounding shops. She entered a sweets shop and bought two packets of sweets. Then, she went to the stall next door to get a cut of meat. Carrying the two bags of things, she returned to the ox cart in exactly half an hour. Shu Yu got on the ox-cart again and found that there was an additional woman in the cart. The ox-cart was even more crowded now. It couldn¡¯t be helped though. After all, the horse carriages were unwilling to take the road to Shangshi Village at this hour. After all, the carriages all departed from the county. After they sent her to the destination, they would have to return, and the city gates would be closed by then. The ox-cart was owned by an old man in the village. He was sending people home and also returning home himself. Not long after Shu Yu got in the car, the old man who drove the cart was ready to set off. At this moment, another woman who was sweating profusely ran over, ¡°Uncle Hu, Uncle Hu, wait.¡± The old man looked at the person and frowned. Shu Yu could tell that he wanted to move his whip and leave immediately, but the woman ran even faster and was already clinging to the edge of the cart. Uncle Hu sighed helplessly and said to her, ¡°Wide of Lu family¡¯s third son, my ox-cart is full.¡± Madam Liang¡¯s eyes almost popped out from glaring when she heard this, ¡°Full? Uncle Hu, this is your wrong. When we came this morning, we agreed that you would leave a seat for me. I want to take your ox-cart back.¡± Uncle Hu couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°You clearly said that you wouldn¡¯t take my cart back.¡± ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m carrying so many things! If I walk back to Shangshi Village on my own two legs, won¡¯t I die of exhaustion? Uncle Hu, did you hear wrong?¡± Madam Liang unhappily pointed to the bamboo basket on her back. ¡°You¡­¡± Uncle Hu was so angry that he almost couldn¡¯t speak. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Madam Liang. Was this person from Shangshi Village? Madam Liang pointed at Uncle Hu and said, ¡°You can¡¯t do things like this. I clearly said that I would take your cart back, but you let an extra person come on board. What do we do now? It¡¯s already so late, I can¡¯t find any other ox-cart.¡± Shu Yu looked at her and then at the other people on the ox-cart. It seemed that these women had come out with uncle Hu in the morning, and she was the only new one. Madam Liang was referring to her, right? Shu Yu didn¡¯t want to continue being entangled in the ox-cart, so she pointed at herself and said, ¡°How about I get off?¡± Now that she thought about it, it seemed more convenient to go tomorrow. Who knew that before Uncle Hu could say anything, Madam Liang waved her hand and said righteously, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, it¡¯s none of your business. This is a problem between me and Uncle Hu. Just sit down.¡± Shu Yu was speechless. This answer was really out of her expectations. Uncle Hu was obviously not good with words. Seeing that the villagers in the ox-cart were getting impatient, he was annoyed as well. He glared at Madam Liang and asked, ¡°Then what do you want?¡± ¡°Your cart is already full. What else can I do? Do you think I can squeeze into the front of the cart with you?¡± The others laughed when they heard that. Uncle Hu¡¯s face turned even redder, and Madam Liang continued, ¡°Forget it, forget it. I¡¯m magnanimous and won¡¯t argue with you. I¡¯ll walk back, okay? But this basket of mine is too heavy, I can¡¯t carry it. How about this, you can just bring the basket back to my house and send it to my man, okay?¡± What could Uncle Hu say? There was no space for another person, but it was not a problem to tie the basket to the side. He nodded and said, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say this first, you¡¯re the one who didn¡¯t handle this properly, so I won¡¯t be paying the road fee,¡± Then she looked at the other women on the ox-cart, ¡°I remember all of your faces. If anything is missing from my basket, I¡¯ll go to each of your houses.¡± Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Shu Yus Father, Lu Erbai Chapter 6: Shu Yu¡¯s Father, Lu Erbai Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Finally, they could leave. After tying the basket, Uncle Hu couldn¡¯t wait to drive the ox-cart away. Along the way, the words that Shu Yu heard the most were about Madam Liang. Even though they were not from the same village, the villagers seemed to know her quite well. Because Madam Liang had said that she lived in Shangshi Village, Shu Yu couldn¡¯t help but be more concerned. She kept quiet the whole time but pricked up her ears to listen. However, these people rarely mentioned Shangshi Village. Most of them simply said that Madam Liang was stingy, shameless, cunning, and usually only sought profit. Not only Madam Liang, but her husband, Third Lu, was the same. The couple was the same kind of people, so their only son was also brought up in the wrong way too. Not only did he bully the other children in the village, but he also made fun of his relatives. In any case, everyone shook their heads and sighed at the mention of Third Lu and his wife. As they listened to the gossip, the ox-cart arrived at Shangshi Village. A few women had already alighted two villages before this. The ox-cart was thus much emptier, and she was the only one to alight at Shangshi Village. Just as Shu Yu was about to get down from the cart, she saw a man squatting at the entrance of the village. ¡°Third Lu,¡± Uncle Hu called out to him in a huff. With a blade of grass in his mouth, Third Lu quickly ran over to his basket to take a look. He stretched out his fingers and counted each and every item. After confirming that there wasn¡¯t any missing, he carried the basket on his back in satisfaction and went home without even a word of thanks. Uncle Hu spat at his back. Unexpectedly, Third Lu seemed to have sensed it and turn around immediately. He glared at Uncle Hu fiercely, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Uncle Hu was obviously a little afraid of him, so he hurriedly got on the ox-cart and left. After that, Third Lu also ran away quickly. Shu Yu was speechless. These guys were quite funny. Shu Yu had originally wanted to ask Third Lu for directions, but now that he was gone, she could only carry the sweets and meat while walking into the village herself. There were not many people at the intersection, but a group of children was playing there. Shu Yu walked towards them and waved at them, then asked, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± The children who were playing around stopped in an instant and looked at her curiously. Immediately, their eyes fell on the sweets and pork in her hands and they swallowed hard. Shu Yu suddenly felt that the things in her hands weighed a thousand pounds. She took out a few candies from her sleeve and handed them over, ¡°I¡¯ll give these candies to whoever answers my question.¡± The candies were a handful of malt candy that she had bought from the sweet shop just now. It was for the convenience of times like this. Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, the children immediately jumped and fought to be the first to answer. ¡°I¡¯ll answer. I know everything. You can ask me anything you want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. You know nothing. I know! After all, I¡¯m the boss.¡± Shu Yu quickly raised her hand and said, ¡°Then can one of you tell me where Lu Erbai¡¯s house is in Shangshi Village? ¡± Lu Erbai? The children looked at each other. The adults¡¯ names were still unfamiliar to them. Fortunately, the names of the adults from the Lu family were easier to remember than the others. Immediately, an older child shouted, ¡°I know!¡± Shu Yu looked at him. The child immediately stretched out his hand and pointed to a place not far away, ¡°Lu Erbai is the father of that ugly monster.¡± Shu Yu frowned. She looked up and saw a little girl walking slowly from not far away. She looked young and had a big basket on her back. The basket was filled with pigweed and it seemed hard for her to walk. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: My Sister Is Called Ugly Chapter 7: My Sister Is Called Ugly Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The child¡¯s clothes were full of patches, and a tad too short and small. Her wrists, ankles, and neck were exposed. Her clothes were very dirty, and her hair was in a mess, probably because she had tripped. A few children had already rushed towards her, surrounding her while screaming and jumping. ¡°Ugly monster, carrying pigweed, so so pitiful, no food for you, falling down, disfigured face, when you grow up, no one will want you. Hahahahaha.¡± The little girl was surrounded by them, unable to advance or retreat. She lowered her head and clenched her jaw to stop herself from crying out loud. She covered her face with both hands and stood rooted at a loss. In her panic, she tripped over her right foot and fell to the ground again. The children roared with laughter, ¡°Look, she fell. She falls every day. My mother said that her legs are no good and she¡¯s like her father. She will become a cripple in the future.¡± The little girl finally couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore, but her whimpers were suppressed. In the next moment, she quickly got up and hurriedly put the scattered pigweed back into the basket. If she didn¡¯t hurry up, the pigweed would be trampled by these children, and she would have worked for nothing today. With tears still flowing down her face, the little girl¡¯s hands did not dare to stop. Unexpectedly, as she was picking the pigweed up, a pair of fair hands appeared in front of her, helping her gather the pigweed back into the basket. The little girl raised her head in a daze and met Shu Yu¡¯s gentle eyes. Who was this? Such a beautiful sister, like a fairy. Only then did the little girl notice that the mocking laughter had disappeared. The children who had surrounded her and blocked her way were now standing far away, staring dazedly at the scene in front of them. Shu Yu was now very close to the little girl and realized that there was a scar on the latter¡¯s face. The scar wasn¡¯t very big, but she was too thin and her face was sallow, which made the scar particularly clear. No wonder those people called her ugly. Probably sensing her gaze, the little girl quickly lowered her head and subconsciously pressed her hair down, trying to cover the scar. Shu Yu smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I also had a scar on my face back when I was young. It was gone when I grew up.¡± The little girl was stunned. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Look at my face. Isn¡¯t it clean?¡± In her past life, Shu Yu did have a scar on her face. It was because she was pretty. Although the leader of the gang wasn¡¯t a man of lust, he would still try to get his hands on the girls he was interested in. Shu Yu had wanted to take revenge, but not in this way. It was much more reliable to become a confidant of the big boss than a woman who could be abandoned at any time. So, she cut her face and disfigured it. At first, the big boss was naturally unwilling to keep her by his side when he saw that Shu Yu¡¯s scarred face was not a good image in public, but Shu Yu was capable. The big boss¡¯s requirements were harsh, and ordinary people really couldn¡¯t meet them. Shu Yu learned everything quickly and did everything to his liking. She alone was as capable as ten people. It was just nice that the big boss didn¡¯t like to have too many people around him either. Fortunately, he had already retired and did not need to appear in public much. In addition, with Shu Yu¡¯s makeup and hairstyle, the scars on her face could still be covered up. However, the big boss still brooded over her scar and asked her to go to the hospital to get rid of it. Yet, Shu Yu was allergic to a certain ingredient in scar removal creams. As a result, not only did the scar not become smaller, but it even worsened to the point it almost destroyed her face. At that point, the big boss was too lazy to care, but Shu Yu was still very experienced in the ingredients and production of scar removal creams. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Sanya Eating Candy Chapter 8: Sanya Eating Candy Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The scar on the little girl¡¯s face wasn¡¯t large; it just seemed she hadn¡¯t dealt with it properly. With proper repair, she could easily recover. Shu Yu helped her up and asked her, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Is your dad called Lu Erbai?¡± The little girl nodded blankly, still pondering what she had said. After a long moment, she realized and quickly said in a soft voice, ¡°I, I¡¯m called Sanya.¡± ¡°Sanya, can you take me to your house?¡± Shu Yu picked up the basket from the ground. Sanya immediately reached for it, ¡°I¡¯ll carry it.¡± ¡°No need, I can walk faster holding it.¡± Unless there was an unexpected development, this girl was likely her own sister. Sanya still wanted to take it, but then she looked at her dirty little hands and then at Shu Yu¡¯s clean and tidy clothes, and ultimately, she retracted her hand. Shu Yu handed a piece of malt candy to the kid she had pointed to earlier; as for the others, given their bear-like behavior just now, not even half a piece for them. That child jumped three feet high with joy, shoved the malt candy into his mouth without a word, and then exhaled with satisfaction, ¡°Tasty.¡± The other children looked at him enviously, each directing their eager gazes onto Shu Yu. Even Sanya¡¯s gaze uncontrollably wandered when she saw the candy in the child¡¯s mouth. Shu Yu handed her one too, and Sanya blinked, shook her head rapidly, and hurried towards home, ¡°I, I will take you to my house now.¡± Shu Yu smiled; the little girl could really resist temptation. Following behind, Sanya walked quite a distance before suddenly remembering to ask, ¡°Sister, what are you going to do at my house? Do you know, my dad?¡± Her voice was so slight, as if asking this question might anger her. As soon as she finished, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at her. Shu Yu, carrying pig fodder in one hand and snacks and meat in the other, replied, ¡°Your dad helped me before. I just found out where he lives and came to see him.¡± Sanya uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± looked up at her again, and not paying attention, ¡®plop¡¯ she fell to the ground again. Shu Yu frowned slightly; this child seemed too prone to falling. There could be many reasons for a child to fall, but given Sanya¡¯s appearance, the most likely was malnutrition and a calcium deficiency. Sanya, as if accustomed to it, got up swiftly, looking somewhat panic-stricken, ¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing to me?¡± Sanya froze; yes, why apologize? Probably because she was already used to it. The words ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± were what she said the most on a daily basis. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t help but think of her own childhood Shu Yu, who also often apologized to Mrs. Xue. In fact, when she first saw Sanya, she had no doubts about her own origins. The young Shu Yu and the current Sanya were exactly alike; back then, she was equally starved and cold, frail and weak, just like a replica of Sanya. Looking at Sanya before her, Shu Yu just couldn¡¯t harden her heart. Even if she had indeed been sold by her birth parents when she was little, it had nothing to do with this little girl. Shu Yu stuffed the malt candy directly into her mouth. The little girl¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, the sweetness in her mouth making her feel like she was dreaming. She wanted to say something, but Shu Yu quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t let it fall out, or it¡¯ll be wasted.¡± Sanya hurriedly covered her mouth, gazing with wide, round eyes. After a moment, the corners of her eyes curled up slightly, and her eyebrows revealed her joy, ¡°¡­so sweet.¡± Shu Yu couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go, lead the way ahead.¡± Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: The Lu Family Chapter 9: The Lu Family Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The Lu family¡¯s house was a little far from the entrance of the village. It was behind Shangshi Village. Shu Yu followed Sanya. By the time they reached the Lu family¡¯s house, she had already grasped the layout of the village. Shangshi Village wasn¡¯t very big, and the houses were built without any pattern. Most of them were very old. Even the village head¡¯s house was only a slightly larger mud house. When they arrived at the Lu family¡¯s house, Sanya rushed forward, pushed open the unlocked door, and shouted, ¡°Father, father, I¡¯m back.¡± Shu Yu followed. After entering the house, she closed the door behind her and placed the basket in her hand in the corner of the courtyard. Only then did she look at the small courtyard. It was really small. The entire yard was less than 15 square meters, and even so, it was filled with a lot of things. However, it could be seen that the Lu family was quite diligent and had tidied up well. Shu Yu walked through the courtyard and entered the living room. Sanya ran over, sweating profusely. Then, she whispered nervously, ¡°Big sister, my father is not home. He might have gone out.¡± ¡°Is your family not around?¡± Sanya shook her head, ¡°They¡¯ve all gone out to work. Big sister, can you wait here for a while? They will be back soon. I, I¡¯ll get you some water.¡± She then turned and ran to the kitchen. After a while, she came back with a chipped bowl that she placed on the table and pushed toward Shu Yu. Then, she said softly, ¡°Big sister, I washed this bowl again. It¡¯s clean. There are no cracks on this side, so it won¡¯t cut your mouth. You¡¯ve walked for such a long time, so you must be thirsty. Drink it.¡± Even the best bowl used to serve guests was chipped. One could imagine how the life of this family was. Looking at the leaking areas of the house and the slightly slanted walls, it looked like a dilapidated house that could collapse at any time to Shu Yu. Shu Yu watched as the little girl tugged at her sleeves uneasily as if it was a sin to have given her water in a chipped bowl. She paused and reached out to stroke Sanya¡¯s head, ¡°Thank you.¡± Then, she picked up the bowl and drank the water. She was stunned for a moment before she smiled and said, ¡°This water is very sweet.¡± The little girl was happy, ¡°This is mountain spring water. My brother brings it from the mountain every day.¡± What she didn¡¯t say was that they usually didn¡¯t have the luxury of drinking it at home. It was only used to boil medicine for her father. Shu Yu wanted to ask about her family¡¯s situation. Hearing this, she pulled Sanya to a stool at the side and sat her down. Then, she asked, ¡°Do you have an older brother? Other than your father, you, and your brother, who else is there in the family?¡± ¡°And my mother and my grandma.¡± ¡°Then, do you have an older sister?¡± At the mention of ¡°older sisters¡±, Sanya¡¯s mood inexplicably turned gloomy. She nodded slightly as she said, ¡°I have two sisters. My eldest sister got married two years ago, and my second sister¡­¡± She didn¡¯t continue. She lowered her head and rubbed her sleeves. Shu Yu could tell that this was how Sanya acted when she was uneasy. Could it be that the second sister was referring to her? Did the little girl know about her second sister¡¯s situation? Shu Yu wanted to continue asking, but Sanya looked up and urged her again, ¡°Big sister, drink some water. If it¡¯s not enough, I, I¡¯ll get you more.¡± It was obvious that she did not want to talk about her second sister anymore. Shu Yu did not force her and quickly changed the topic, ¡°Since there¡¯s no one in your house, why isn¡¯t the door locked? what if a thief comes in?¡± Sanya blinked and shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s nothing in our house. My grandma said that even rats go around our house.¡± Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Father and Daughter Meeting Chapter 10: Father and Daughter Meeting Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Although they were indeed poor, they couldn¡¯t possibly be that poor. Sanya said, ¡°And my third uncle¡¯s house is just across the street. My grandma said that he squats at the village entrance every day, so no one usually comes here.¡± Her third uncle liked to take advantage of others, so the villagers usually avoided him. Shu Yu raised her eyebrows. As they were talking, there was some commotion outside. Sanya was overjoyed and slid down from the stool, ¡°It must be my father.¡± She ran out as she said this. Shu Yu also stood up and walked towards the door. Before she reached the door, a woman¡¯s high-pitched and sharp voice could be heard from outside, ¡°I told you to stay at home, but you didn¡¯t listen. Your wife and I are working in the field. What did you come for? Now, great. It¡¯s already inconvenient for you to walk, and you even fell again. You don¡¯t want your leg anymore, do you? I¡¯m telling you, we don¡¯t have any money to send you to see a doctor anymore. Later, when your leg is completely crippled, you can just wait for death at home. I won¡¯t care about you anymore.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that I felt much better today and wanted to go help,¡± A man¡¯s honest and hoarse voice followed with a deep sense of apology, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to cause you more trouble.¡± ¡°Help? Help with what? The biggest help you can do for me is to stay at home obediently. I¡¯m really down on my luck to have a nuisance son like you,¡± The old woman¡¯s voice grew louder as her words became smoother while she scolded, ¡°You and your wife are really a match made in heaven. One is a nuisance, and the other is a jinx. Both of you are just worrying. I¡¯m already so old, but I still have to take care of you. Look at our village, who¡¯s like us¡­¡± She kept on scolding, and Sanya, who had run out to say something, could not find a chance to speak. When Sanya finally managed to utter a word, the old woman scolded her instead, ¡°Go away. Can¡¯t you see that your father has fallen and is in such a poor state? Yet you¡¯re still coming over and blocking the way. You¡¯re already so big, but you¡¯re still so insensible.¡± The old woman was very fierce, and Sanya was timid. She shrank her neck and said in a low voice, ¡°Grandma, we have a guest.¡± After she finished speaking, she ran behind her parents and hid. ¡°Guest? What guest? Our house is already in this state, and even your eldest uncle and third uncle don¡¯t come to visit. What guests can we have?¡± The old woman replied subconsciously. In the next moment, she seemed to have thought of something and slapped her thigh, ¡°Oh my, can it be a debt collector? I was wondering why my eyelids kept twitching today.¡± Sanya quickly shook her head, ¡°No, no, the big sister said she¡¯s here to thank father, not to collect a debt.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? Is there anything about your father that¡¯s worthy of being thanked? Little girl, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been tricked? Where is she? Did you bring her in?¡± The old lady glared at Sanya as she spoke, ¡°Why do you dare to bring anyone home?¡± Then, she looked up and saw Shu Yu at the entrance of the living room. Shu Yu met the old woman¡¯s eyes. She stood by the entrance, not knowing if she should go out or not. The old lady¡¯s gaze immediately became alert. She was originally supporting Lu Erbai, but now, she stood slightly forward, blocking half of Lu Erbai¡¯s body. Lu Erbai had been scolded by her to the point of silence. He just kept his head down. When he heard Sanya say that there was a guest, he also raised his head and looked at Shu Yu. Shu Yu was stunned the minute she saw his face clearly. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: The Truth of the Debt Chapter 11: The Truth of the Debt Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± The moment she saw Lu Erbai¡¯s appearance, Shu Yu finally understood what the Dongqing Temple master¡¯s letter to her meant. She was indeed in debt. It wasn¡¯t the original owner of this body¡¯s debt of being born, but her own debt of being saved. A year ago, she had transmigrated to this world because the original owner of this body had fallen off a cliff. At that time, she had just woken up and was hanging on the slope of the cliff. Her body was covered in injuries and she had no strength. Lu Erbai happened to pass by. Seeing her in this state, he quickly climbed up and saved her. When they were going down the mountain, a huge rock rolled down from above. Lu Erbai couldn¡¯t run fast enough with her tagging along. When the rock arrived, he pushed her away and was hit by the big rock then. His leg had been injured then. At that time, Shu Yu had just transmigrated and did not understand the situation. However, Lu Erbai¡¯s actions shocked her. She did not understand. If he had just left her behind, he could have saved himself. Lu Erbai didn¡¯t even know why he did that. He could only say that it was a subconscious action. Now that she thought about it, it was probably because the father and daughter were connected by heart, and their blood relationship was too strong. Later, the two of them fainted and were brought back by the people from the Daoist temple who came to look for her. After Shu Yu woke up, the first thing she did was to ask about Lu Erbai¡¯s condition. The temple master said that they were lucky. There was a traveling doctor with brilliant medical skills in the temple, so their lives were not in danger. Even Lu Erbai¡¯s leg had been reattached, but he needed to rest for some time. Shu Yu¡¯s injuries were more serious. She was drowsy and spent most of her time sleeping. Even though she wanted to see Lu Erbai, she couldn¡¯t get up. She could only wait until she was well before she went to thank him. At that time, the Shu family who came to offer incense had already left, leaving only Shu Yu and a lazy little servant girl to accompany her to recuperate. Shu Yu wasn¡¯t valued in the Shu family. Before they left, they didn¡¯t even send anyone to see Lu Erbai. They didn¡¯t take the fact that he saved the Shu family¡¯s young lady to heart either. To the Shu family, he was just a commoner, and since his life was not in danger, he was not worth a glance. Shu Yu didn¡¯t think much of the Shu family¡¯s actions either. This was her life, so she would thank him herself. Back when she had just woken, she had given the only money she had to the temple master and asked him to send it to Lu Erbai. The rest could wait until she could get off the bed. She hadn¡¯t expected that in less than two days, the temple master would come and tell her that Lu Erbai had left. It was said that Lu Erbai had a daughter who had gone missing, and he had been looking for her all these years. He had appeared near Dongqing Temple and had managed to save her because he had heard that his daughter might be there. He had already been delayed for a few days after saving Shu Yu. He was afraid that he would miss the clues of his daughter¡¯s whereabouts, so he left the Daoist temple impatiently and went down the mountain. Back then, Shu Yu only knew that his surname was Lu but not his name. His home was not in the prefecture either. She wanted to find him, but she had no clue. Dongqing Temple¡¯s master didn¡¯t know much either. He only said that Lu Erbai¡¯s leg bones had been connected, and if he recuperated well, there wouldn¡¯t be a big problem. However, now that Shu Yu looked at Lu Erbai again, it was obvious that his leg was not well. Not only did it not recover, but it had also become more serious. Dongqing Temple¡¯s master was good at reading people¡¯s faces. Perhaps, after seeing her and Lu Erbai¡¯s faces, he got suspicious and went to investigate, so he knew who her biological parents were. Many of the doubts in Shu Yu¡¯s heart were answered. She took a deep breath and walked toward the people in the courtyard. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Its Been a Long Time Chapter 12: It¡¯s Been a Long Time Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Erbai was a little dumbfounded. He squinted his eyes for a long time before recognizing who the person in front of him was. He was shocked and asked in disbelief, ¡°You are¡­ Miss Shu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Uncle Lu. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± Shu Yu stood before them and greeted them with a smile. All three people before her were just like Sanya, looking sallow and fragile, wearing patched-up and loose clothes. Lu Erbai looked even more haggard than he had been a year ago. He did not look like a man in his early thirties at all. Lu Erbai seemed a little embarrassed. He squeezed out a smile and nodded. ¡°Ah, y-yes, it¡¯s been a long time. Um, Miss Shu, why are you here? Is there something you need from me?¡± Shu Yu¡¯s gaze lingered on his left leg. Then, she turned her body sideways and said, ¡°Indeed, but this is not a good place to talk. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, let¡¯s go in.¡± Lu Erbai agreed. The old lady opened her mouth and thought, ¡°Why does this girl not seem to take herself as an outsider? This is our home, yet she speaks as if she is the owner.¡± She and Lu Erbai¡¯s wife, Madam Ruan, helped Lu Erbai into the living room. Sanya followed them closely. When she saw that they had all sat down, she ran to the kitchen to pour water and placed a bowl in front of each of them. Shu Yu looked at the other bowls and saw that her bowl was only slightly chipped, while the others had bowls that were covered in cracks. At that point, she was a little embarrassed to drink the water. Lu Erbai seemed to have noticed her gaze and became even more nervous. He said in a low voice, ¡°We lead a simple life and have no tea leaves. Miss Shu, I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Uncle Lu, you¡¯re too kind. This spring water is very sweet. I like this more than tea.¡± Lu Erbai heaved a noticeable sigh of relief. He rubbed his hands. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± He lowered his head and realized that the old lady was nudging his arm, signaling him with her eyes while saying in a low voice, ¡°Well, introduce her. Who is this girl? How do you know her? How come I¡¯ve never heard you mention her before?¡± Lu Erbai came to his senses, but before he could speak, Shu Yu spoke up first, ¡°My name is Shu Yu. When I fell off a cliff a year ago, it was Uncle Lu who saved me. At that time, I was seriously injured and in a coma. When I was finally able to get out of bed, Uncle Lu had left. I don¡¯t know where Uncle Lu lives, so I didn¡¯t get to thank him personally. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Now, Shu Yu was glad that she had thought for two more seconds in the county and gone to buy some meat and sweets. Otherwise, if she came empty-handed and found out that Lu Erbai was not only her biological father but also her savior, she would really be embarrassed. She pushed the meat and sweets to them. ¡°I came in a hurry and it was late, so I only bought these things. Later¡­¡± Before she could finish his sentence, Lu Erbai waved his hand. ¡°No need. There¡¯s no need. You¡¯ve already given me money back then, and that¡¯s enough. Where¡¯s the need for you to go out of your way to buy these things and bring them over? There¡¯s really no need for that.¡± The moment he finished speaking, the old lady glared at him. The old lady pulled the meat and sweets towards herself and chided Lu Erbai, ¡°Erbai, are you stupid? This is her kindness. If you don¡¯t accept it, Miss Shu will feel uneasy. Besides, the meat and sweets couldn¡¯t be returned. You¡¯re injured, and the doctor said you need more nourishment too. How long has it been since you¡¯ve eaten meat? Dahu and Sanya haven¡¯t eaten any decent sweets either.¡± Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Lu Erbais Leg Chapter 13: Lu Erbai¡¯s Leg Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Erbai couldn¡¯t help but look at Sanya. No matter how much self-control the little girl had, she was still young and had never eaten good food before. He couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at the meat and sweets. Then, he immediately said, ¡°Sanya, we have things to discuss. Go out and play and see if your elder brother is back.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± The little girl nodded obediently. After taking a few steps, she turned back and took one more glance at Shu Yu before running away. Shu Yu noticed a problem. Lu Erbai did not seem to have told his family about the reason behind his leg injury. Otherwise, with the old lady¡¯s personality, she would not have treated her so calmly. He didn¡¯t say it, but Shu Yu felt increasingly upset when she thought about it. She couldn¡¯t help but look at his left leg and ask, ¡°How¡¯s your leg? I heard you guys talking just now, and it seems like you fell again. Have you seen a doctor?¡± Lu Erbai hurriedly said, ¡°The doctor in the village is not around, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big deal. I¡¯ll be fine after resting for two days.¡± Although he said that, his expression was telling a different story. In fact, he seemed to be enduring pain ever since he had been in the courtyard. Naturally, Shu Yu could tell. So she asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I take a look at it, Uncle Lu?¡± Before Lu Erbai could say anything, the old lady had already asked in surprise, ¡°Miss Shu, do you know medicine? ¡± ¡°Yes, a little.¡± To be honest, she knew more about the field of nursing. In her previous life, the reason why the big boss retired was that there was a problem with his body. As his trusted secretary, Shu Yu needed to understand and learn about such matters even if she was not a professional in case of emergency. However, when the old lady saw Shu Yu¡¯s calm expression, she inexplicably felt that the latter had great skills. She quickly stood up and made way, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to trouble Miss Shu to take a look at my second son. His leg was broken due to being hit by a stone a year ago. It had been fixed at that time, but it was not fully healed before it was damaged again. You¡¯ve seen our family¡¯s situation. We could only ask the village doctor to help reconnect the bones, but it has been so long and the condition hasn¡¯t recovered at all.¡± On the other hand, Lu Erbai¡¯s face flushed red in embarrassment. He shrank back and said, ¡°Mother, this isn¡¯t appropriate. Miss Shu is a lady from a big family. How can she look at the legs of a rough man like me?¡± Shu Yu had already squatted, ¡°Uncle Lu, you saved my life. I¡¯m just taking a look. It¡¯s no big deal. Besides, I¡¯m not some rich young lady. You can just treat me as a female doctor now.¡± Back then, the Shu family had the Daoist temple keep Shu Yu¡¯s identity a secret as if they were afraid that Lu Erbai would leech on the Shu family by relying on the fact that he had saved Shu Yu¡¯s life. Hence, Lu Erbai did not know who she was. Lu Erbai still wanted to refuse, but Shu Yu was already holding his leg. With that, he didn¡¯t dare to move anymore. Shu Yu felt his broken leg a little and couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°Your bone has been dislocated. It¡¯s not even connected properly.¡± ¡°Ah? What should we do then?¡± The old lady asked. ¡°Break it and reconnect it.¡± The eyes of all three from the Lu family widened as they gasped, ¡°Break, break, break it?¡± Shu Yu raised his head and looked at Lu Erbai with a serious expression, ¡°If you don¡¯t reconnect it properly, the condition will only get worse in the future. Especially since you fell today, there¡¯s fluid build-up in your leg. If you don¡¯t get treatment soon, the blood vessels will likely be blocked, and your leg will be crippled then.¡± The three members of the Lu family were so frightened that their faces turned pale. ¡°How could it be so serious? Doctor Yan from our village said it¡¯s just a bruise and he¡¯ll be fine after applying a few more patches of ointment.¡± Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: The Son of Third Uncle Chapter 14: The Son of Third Uncle Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu wasn¡¯t a proper doctor, and that was all she could tell. However, she was certain that Lu Erbai¡¯s leg injury was definitely not as minor as what the physician had said. She furrowed her brows, ¡°Uncle Lu¡¯s leg was set by this Doctor Yan?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him. I knew that fellow wasn¡¯t reliable,¡± The old lady said hatefully, ¡°His leg hasn¡¯t recovered even after a year of treatment. That fellow is indeed a quack who is just a dog in the manger. Bah!¡± ¡°Ahem, mother,¡± Lu Erbai quickly cleared his throat. The old lady quickly shut up and did not say any more vulgar words. Then, she thought of something and asked, ¡°Then, Miss Shu, can you cure my second son?¡± Shu Yu shook her head, ¡°If it had been when Uncle Lu¡¯s bone had just been set, I¡¯m confident I can fix it. But now that so much time had passed, it¡¯s better to see a specialist in this. Do you know who here have the best medical skills in this area?¡± ¡°A specialist?¡± The old lady frowned. Madam Ruan, who had been silent all this while, said in a low voice, ¡°There¡¯s a doctor in the county with the surname Xu. He¡¯s good at setting bone fractures.¡± The old lady glared at her and said, ¡°Doctor Xu is amazing, but how can ordinary people afford the consultation fee he asks for? Look at our family, we can¡¯t even get that money even if we sell you.¡± Madam Ruan shrunk her neck and didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore. Expensive consultation fees? Shu Yu asked, ¡°How much is it? ¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the money for the medicine, just the money for setting the bone fracture that I heard of costs this much,¡± The old lady stretched out her hand and gestured ¡°How can ordinary families like us afford it?¡± ¡°Five taels of silver?¡± Shu Yu had some money on her. Besides, Lu Erbai had hurt his leg to save her, so it was only right that she should pay his medical fees. The old lady nodded. Just as Shu Yu was about to speak, Sanya¡¯s painful cry came from the door. The sound only rang for a moment before it stopped. However, the few people in the room heard it and Shu Yu ran out immediately. Madam Ruan followed closely behind. The old lady also wanted to go out and take a look, but seeing that Lu Erbai was struggling to get up, she stayed and helped him sit down. Before Shu Yu could reach the entrance of the courtyard, she heard an arrogant child¡¯s voice, ¡°Hahahaha, ugly monster, you still dare to lie. Why don¡¯t you take a look at how poor your family is? With your dirt-poor family, how can you afford to eat candy? You can only dream about drinking sugar water.¡± Such words were really asking for a beating. When she got closer, Shu Yu realized that the person who spoke was a little fatty. He shook his head and showed a piece of candy in his hand to Sanya as he said arrogantly, ¡°Do you see this? This is candy. My mother brought it back for me from the county today. It¡¯s sweet. You haven¡¯t even seen it before, have you? Not only are you ugly, but you¡¯re also a liar.¡± Sanya sat on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held back her tears. She stood up in a well-practiced fashion and choked back her tears before saying in a soft but firm voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. I¡¯m not a liar.¡± ¡°You are. If you keep lying, I¡¯ll hit you,¡± The chubby boy glared at her, his fat face contorted, and he waved his hands threateningly. Sanya was very afraid of him, and could not help but take a small step back. Then, she bumped into Shu Yu, who was now standing behind her. She looked up in a daze. The little fatty also noticed Shu Yu, and his face was full of surprise, ¡°Who are you? Why are you at my second uncle¡¯s house?¡± Second uncle? So this was the son of her third uncle, who lived on the opposite? Shu Yu suddenly smiled evilly at him. She took out a piece of candy and stuffed it into Sanya¡¯s mouth in front of the little fatty. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Let Him Cry Chapter 15: Let Him Cry Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The little fatty¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could ask, he heard Shu Yu say to Sanya, ¡°Have this candy first. There are still some sweets at home. We¡¯ll have them later.¡± Sanya blinked, feeling a little light-headed from the sweet taste in her mouth. Shu Yu stuffed the remaining candies into her hands. The chubby boy¡¯s eyes brightened when he heard the word ¡°sweets¡±. When he saw the candies in Sanya¡¯s hand, his mood turned sour, and he rushed over to snatch them from her, ¡°Give that to me. How can a loser have candy? Give them to me.¡± Sanya was shocked. Shu Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed. When the boy ran over, she grabbed his collar and turned him around, then pushed him back. Shu Yu didn¡¯t use much force, and the little fatty simply staggered two steps forward before stopping. He was a little confused. The next moment, he lowered his head and saw that the candy in his hand had also fallen to the ground. In an instant, he was overcome with sorrow. He suddenly sat on the ground and began to throw a tantrum, ¡°My candy, my candy fell. Ugly monster, you have to compensate me. Sob! Or I¡¯ll kill you! I want to eat candy, I want to eat sweets.¡± Sanya raised her head and looked at Shu Yu worriedly, ¡°Big sister¡­¡± Shu Yu squatted and patted the little girl¡¯s head, saying to her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re not his parents. We won¡¯t spoil him. If he¡¯s so great, he can keep crying, crying until the sky turns dark or until the end of time.¡± Although the little fatty was crying, he obviously heard Shu Yu¡¯s words. He stood up angrily and patted the dust off his buttocks. Then, his chubby little face turned ugly as he pointed at them and said haughtily, ¡°Just wait. I¡¯ll go back and tell my father about this now. When my father is done with his business in the toilet, he¡¯ll help me settle the score with you.¡± With that, he ran back to his house. Business in the toilet? Shu Yu shivered in disgust. She shook her head and led Sanya into the courtyard, closing the door behind her. Then, she looked down and saw that Sanya was suddenly laughing. Shu Yu raised her eyebrows, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happy things are you thinking of?¡± Sanya was stunned and quickly shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. The candy is so sweet.¡± In all honesty, she wanted to say that in the past, she and her brother had always been the ones who cried because of brother Dabao. Today was the first time that she had made brother Dabao cry from anger. However, such thoughts were bad. She couldn¡¯t let the big sister know that she was a bad child. She¡­ She would only think of this for a while. She would not think about it anymore. Shu Yu was amused, ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll buy more for you next time.¡± Sanya blinked. Eh, was there going to be a next time? The little girl didn¡¯t dare to ask, afraid that the big sister was just comforting her. She only held Shu Yu¡¯s hand tighter. Shu Yu smiled and raised her head. Unexpectedly, her gaze met Madam Ruan, who was standing not far away. The latter¡¯s eyes seemed to be burning as she watched them. She seemed to have thought of something, and her eyes turned red while her lips trembled. Shu Yu was puzzled. She didn¡¯t do anything weird just now, did she? She had just deliberately angered the devilish child. Madam Ruan quickly wiped her face and forced a smile. She said to Shu Yu, ¡°Come in.¡± Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible. Sanya had already run to Madam Ruan¡¯s side and looked up at her curiously, ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong? ¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± After Madam Ruan finished speaking, she couldn¡¯t help but look at Shu Yu a few times. Then, the few of them returned to the living room, and the old lady quickly asked what had happened. Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Ill Pay Chapter 16: I¡¯ll Pay Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Sanya leaned against Madam Ruan and said softly with her head down, ¡°When I was waiting for brother outside, brother Dabao came over and said that third aunt went to the county to buy candy for him. I ignored him, but he came up to me. I couldn¡¯t hold back and said that I had candy today too.¡± What followed was the scene that Shu Yu had seen. The little fatty scolded Sanya smugly while showing off his candy and ended up throwing a huge tantrum. The little fatty was, after all, the old lady¡¯s grandson too, so Shu Yu still explained. However, the old lady simply waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. If his father dares to come, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± She was obviously more concerned about Lu Erbai¡¯s leg and hurriedly asked, ¡°Miss Shu, is there any other way to treat Erbai¡¯s leg? Is it really useless to apply ointment?¡± Shu Yu shook her head, ¡°Not only is it useless, but the ointment will even aggravate the injury. He fell again today, so it¡¯s best to go see the doctor tomorrow. Dragging it on would make it worse.¡± The old lady was very worried, ¡°Alright, alright then. I¡¯ll think of a way.¡± Shu Yu knew that the Lu family was as poor as a church mouse. Let alone five taels of silver, they might not even be able to take out five coins. Lu Erbai¡¯s leg injury could not be delayed any longer. She knew that one should not reveal one¡¯s wealth, but after communicating with them just now, she had a better understanding of their personalities. With that, she took out two pieces of silver and placed them on the table, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for Uncle Lu¡¯s medical fees.¡± The few people in the living room widened their eyes. Lu Erbai¡¯s reaction was the strongest. He hurriedly pushed the money back, ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right. How can I take your money?¡± The old lady wanted to say something, but when she saw her son like this, she ultimately sighed and turned her head away with red eyes. However, Shu Yu¡¯s tone was exceptionally firm, ¡°Uncle Lu, you know that I won¡¯t be at ease if you don¡¯t accept the money. I won¡¯t have the courage to face you anymore.¡± Lu Erbai was stunned. He wanted to say that it wasn¡¯t her fault that his leg had become like this. Back then, he had not paid attention and had left before he had fully recovered. However, he couldn¡¯t say this in front of his mother. Otherwise, with his mother¡¯s personality, she would definitely make Shu Yu take full responsibility. So he finally clenched his fists and said in a low voice, ¡°Then, just take it as we borrowed the money. When my leg recovers, I¡¯ll work hard and return it to you.¡± The old lady quickly nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. The most important thing now is to cure the leg injury. We¡¯ll get through this difficult time as a family first, then think of ways to earn money.¡± Madam Ruan nodded too. Even Sanya whispered, ¡°I, I will also work in the fields and pick a lot of wild vegetables.¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t decline. Whether they needed to return the money or not would be a matter they could discuss in the future. The most important thing right now was to treat Lu Erbai¡¯s leg. The old lady was relieved, probably because they had found a solution. She stood up and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re going to the county tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to the village head¡¯s house now and borrow the ox cart.¡± Then, she told Madam Ruan, ¡°Ruan, go on and prepare the food, and cook the meat too. Miss Shu must be hungry. Seeing that it¡¯s getting late, I¡¯m afraid that she won¡¯t be able to leave today. Why don¡¯t you rest here for the night? It¡¯s just that our house is very run-down, and I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be used to it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just afraid of disturbing you.¡± The old lady smiled so widely that her eyes were slits, ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s not a disturbance.¡± Initially, the old lady had been reluctant to cook the pork and planned to eat it bit by bit in the future. It would be great if she could have some meat every day. But Miss Shu was generous. She even lent money to treat her second son¡¯s legs. How benevolent. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Alike to Daya Chapter 17: Alike to Daya Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio All these years, Lu Erbai had been looking for his second daughter, whose whereabouts were unknown, and had broken his leg in the process. They had borrowed money from everyone they could, and at this point, even Lu Erbai¡¯s brothers wouldn¡¯t lend him money. With a load off her mind, the old lady¡¯s footsteps became lighter as she left in a short while. Sanya also went out. Her elder brother, Dahu had not returned yet, so she had to go and look for him. Shu Yu smiled and retracted her gaze. Then, she saw Madam Ruan looking at her with the same burning eyes as before. Lu Erbai also noticed it. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pull Madam Ruan. In a low voice, he said, ¡°Honey, you should go and cook.¡± Madam Ruan took a deep breath and ignored Lu Erbai. Instead, she asked Shu Yu, ¡°Miss Shu, w-who else is in your family? Who are your parents? You¡¯re so young, why did you come to Shangshi Village alone without anyone to accompany you?¡± Lu Erbai¡¯s eyes widened and his voice deepened, ¡°Why are you asking this, honey? This is Miss Shu¡¯s privacy, how can you ask about it?¡± Madam Ruan ignored him and continued to ask Shu Yu, ¡°Miss Shu, may I ask if you have two moles on your left arm? I¡­¡± Lu Erbai gasped and scolded, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t say anymore.¡± Madam Ruan suddenly covered her face and started crying. Lu Erbai didn¡¯t know what to do. He looked at Shu Yu awkwardly and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Shu. You¡­ You know that I have a missing daughter and I¡¯ve been looking for her all these years. You and Erya are about the same age, so she might have thought of Erya when she saw you, which is why she¡¯s being so impolite. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Then, he stood up with the help of his walking stick and pulled Madam Ruan with his other hand while saying, ¡°Miss Shu, please sit here for a while. We¡¯ll go to the kitchen to see what to make.¡± Shu Yu nodded silently and watched the couple stagger out of the room, supporting each other. She only heaved a sigh of relief when their figures disappeared. If not for Lu Erbai¡¯s interruption, she really wouldn¡¯t have known how to answer. Shu Yu rolled up her left sleeve. There were indeed two small black moles on her wrist. She had yet to decide if she wanted to return to the Lu family. Although she already knew that the Lu family hadn¡¯t abandoned her on purpose and had been looking for her all these years, to the point they were as poor as church mice, she still had to consider the plot of the book. Although she had nothing to do with the Shu family now, who knew if the designated ending of the book would affect her after she was exiled? It was fine if she was alone, but what if she implicated the Lu family? The Lu family had never appeared in the books, so God knows what their ending was like. Just as Shu Yu was thinking about this, she suddenly heard Madam Ruan¡¯s sorrowful cries. She was stunned. The kitchen was on her left, and she could vaguely hear them talking. Lu Erbai seemed to be consoling Madam Ruan, but the latter, who had always been timid and quiet, couldn¡¯t help but say agitatedly, ¡°I¡¯m not possessed. You don¡¯t know, brother Bai, you have no clue. Just now at the entrance of the courtyard, I saw Miss Shu holding Sanya¡¯s hand. When I saw them turning around while smiling and talking, I thought I was looking at Daya talking to Sanya.¡± Madam Ruan continued, ¡°Brother Bai, didn¡¯t you notice that Miss Shu and Daya look a little similar? Although¡­ Although Daya is thinner, darker, and looks a little older¡­ But think about it carefully, don¡¯t Miss Shu¡¯s nose and eyes look very similar to Daya¡¯s?¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Younger Brother Dahu Chapter 18: Younger Brother Dahu Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu couldn¡¯t help but touch her eyes and nose. She had never seen Daya before, so she didn¡¯t know how similar they were. However, her appearance when she was young had been very similar to the current Sanya. No wonder Madame Ruan looked at her with such passion and excitement. Her intuition was really accurate. In the kitchen, Lu Erbai and Madam Ruan were still talking. Lu Erbai obviously hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Miss Shu¡­ She has parents and a home, and it seems like she is living a good life. Even if, I¡¯m saying even if she¡¯s really Erya, she¡¯s definitely living a better life than she would be in our family.¡± Madam Ruan was stunned, and the couple fell silent at the same time. After a long time, Madam Ruan sobbed softly, ¡°If you put it that way, I, I hope she¡¯s Erya. At least it means that she¡¯s doing well and hasn¡¯t suffered much. I can also feel more at ease.¡± Lu Erbo patted her shoulder, ¡°Alright, stop overthinking it. Go and wipe your face. Let¡¯s cook first. Mother should be back soon.¡± Madam Ruan sniffled and replied with an ¡°mm¡± before turning around and busying herself. Shu Yu let out a breath, stood up, and walked to the courtyard. The door was suddenly pushed open with a creak. Shu Yu looked up and saw a thin and small figure with the same sallow face, dragging a bundle of firewood with difficulty. The other party was stunned when he saw her. He turned his head and looked around in shock. After confirming that this was indeed his home, he asked curiously, ¡°Who are you? What are you doing in my house?¡± ¡°You are¡­ Dahu?¡± This name didn¡¯t match his size at all. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Shu Yu nodded and went forward to bring in the bundle of firewood the boy was pulling behind him. When she passed by him, her sharp eyes saw that his palm had been cut by the rope used to tie the firewood. This little guy was young and not quite strong, but he was quite ambitious to bring back such a large bundle of firewood. Dahu was stunned for a moment before quickly running into the house as well. Shu Yu walked to the corner where the firewood was piled and put the bundle down. Then, she clapped her hands and turned around, only to see Dahu following her and looking at her curiously. Shu Yu laughed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think I¡¯m a bad person?¡± Dahu¡¯s eyes widened and he quickly shook his head, ¡°No, no, I, I¡­¡± He felt nervous for some reason and took a small step back. In the kitchen, Madam Ruan was cooking while Lu Erbai was helping with the fire. Hearing the noise outside, Madam Ruan hurriedly came out, ¡°Dahu, why are you only back now? ¡± ¡°I saw a lot of firewood at the foot of the mountain. I wanted to pick up more, so I came back late,¡± As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Shu Yu. When he saw her looking over, he hurriedly lowered his head and blushed slightly. Upon seeing this, Madam Ruan immediately said, ¡°This is Miss Shu. She¡¯s our guest.¡± Guest? Dahu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Since when did they have such a distinctly dignified guest? Just as he was wondering, the old lady¡¯s scolding voice sounded outside, ¡°¡­Third Lu, scram and go back to your house at this instance. Erbai has a guest over today. If you dare to come and cause trouble, I¡¯ll lie in your house and you¡¯ll have to take care of me in the future.¡± As she spoke, she opened the courtyard door. The old lady came in holding Sanya¡¯s hand. She then turned around and slammed the door shut, blocking the people outside. Shu Yu¡¯s eyes were sharp. She saw an angry man at the door. Wasn¡¯t he the man she saw at the village entrance? Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Eat More Candy and the Bitterness will be Gone Chapter 19: Eat More Candy and the Bitterness will be Gone Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu remembered that the old man who drove the carriage called the man Third Lu. It seemed that the Madam Liang she had met in the county who took advantage of the old man and asked him to bring her basket back for free was the Lu family¡¯s third son¡¯s wife, huh? So they were the little fatty¡¯s parents. What fate. At the door, Third Lu cursed and swore. Perhaps the old lady¡¯s words had threatened him, so he didn¡¯t dare to come in. He stayed outside for a while before going back. The old lady snorted coldly, ¡°This rascal is getting more and more out of line.¡± As she approached, she immediately changed her smile and said to Shu Yu, ¡°Miss Shu, why are you standing here? Quickly go to the living room and sit down to rest. I¡¯ve already borrowed the ox-cart from the village chief. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning.¡± As she spoke, she handed the vegetable basket in her hand to Madam Ruan. Madam Ruan heaved a sigh of relief. She had just been worried about what to cook tonight. There was a small vegetable field in the yard, but only some beans and cabbage were planted there. She had just picked the beans yesterday, and the next batch would have to wait. If there hadn¡¯t been a guest, they would¡¯ve just eaten some porridge with pickled vegetables. Now, with the fresh vegetables that her mother-in-law had borrowed from God knows where, and the piece of meat that Miss Shu had brought over, Madam Ruan could finally make a few decent dishes. The matter of cooking was handed over to Madam Ruan, and Shu Yu was brought back to the living room by the old lady. She realized that even though the old lady¡¯s words were rough at times, she had wisdom. When Shu Yu chatted with her, there was no awkwardness. Instead, it was interesting to hear the old lady talk about the interesting things in the village. Only then did she learn that Sanya and Dahu were twins and that they were the only twins in the village. She also had an older sister who was three years older. The other party was already married and lived in the neighboring Dayan Village. Lu Erbai had three siblings. In the Lu family, the eldest son was Lu Dasong, the second was Lu Erbai, the third was Lu Sanzhu, who had just been scolded outside, and the youngest daughter was Lu Sixing. As for why the old lady lived with her second son, she did not say. However, Shu Yu guessed that perhaps the old lady saw that Lu Erbai and his family were having a hard time and wanted to help them. As they chatted, Shu Yu saw Sanya and Dahu quietly sizing her up from outside. Shu Yu looked over, and the two quickly retracted their heads. Shu Yu simply smiled. Sanya pulled Dahu to sit on the steps in the courtyard. Then, she took out the candy from her pocket and stuffed one into Dahu¡¯s mouth, whispering, ¡°This is from big sister Shu. It¡¯s very sweet.¡± She had only tasted the first piece of candy Shu Yu had given her before putting it away, thinking of saving the other half for Dahu when he came back. But later, Shu Yu gave her the rest of the candy, and Sanya suddenly had an abundance of candy. When Sanya came back just now, she had given a piece of candy to her grandmother, one to her father, one to her mother, and one to Dahu. With that, everyone had one. As for the rest, she was going to store them so that she could share them with her elder sister when she saw her in the future. This way, her eldest sister¡¯s life would be sweet too. Sanya told Dahu her thoughts, and the latter nodded. He added, ¡°Then let¡¯s keep one more. When we find our second sister in the future, we¡¯ll give her one too.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Sanya nodded vigorously. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave two for our second sister. Mother said that our second sister has been alone outside and might have suffered a lot. If she has more candy, all the bitterness in her life will be gone.¡± Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Sold by Granny Chapter 20: Sold by Granny Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The chatting in the living room had stopped at some point, so Shu Yu heard everything the two children said. For some reason, her eyes started to feel hot. Sanya didn¡¯t have much candy in her hands, to begin with. If she wanted to share the candy she had as planned, she wouldn¡¯t have any left for herself. Naturally, the old lady heard the children¡¯s words too. She turned her face away and looked sad. Shu Yu really couldn¡¯t hold it in and still asked, ¡°Grandma Lu, although it¡¯s a little presumptuous, I¡¯d like to ask this. How did Erya go missing back then?¡± The old lady was stunned for a moment. After a while, she sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing presumptuous. It isn¡¯t a secret anyway. Everyone knows. Our family was unlucky to have found a shameless in-law who only has eyes for money!¡± Speaking of this, the old lady became angry and gritted her teeth, ¡°That old hag from the Ruan family is a piece of trash. She heard that someone wanted to buy a newborn baby, and Erya just happened to be born. So, she came to our house under the pretense of taking care of Ruan when the latter was in confinement. She¡¯s the child¡¯s maternal grandmother, so we didn¡¯t think that she had such thoughts. Then, she took the child away when we weren¡¯t paying attention.¡± ¡°God damn it, not only did she sell the child, but she didn¡¯t even ask who the buyer was. We wanted to find Erya, but the buyer wasn¡¯t someone from the village and had already left. I must¡¯ve been blind back then to have found a wife like this for my second son. If it wasn¡¯t for¡­¡± If it hadn¡¯t been that Daya was still a child at the time, the old lady had wanted her second son to divorce Madam Ruan, that jinx. Fortunately, the relationship between Madam Ruan and her family wasn¡¯t good either, and they had long cut off all contact over the years. Otherwise, she would have driven Madam Ruan out long ago. Shu Yu was stunned. So the deed had been done by her maternal family? No wonder when the old lady scolded Madam Ruan, the latter would simply lower her head and let the former scold her. Even when she spoke, her voice was soft. It was obvious that Madam Ruan was under great psychological pressure. On one hand, she was worried about her second daughter who had been sold off, and on the other hand, she had to bear the torment of self-blame. The old lady said, ¡°We did report this matter to the authorities, but the county magistrate¡­¡± No matter what they said, the other party insisted that it was a family matter and that if she continued to make a fuss, everyone would be punished. Shu Yu frowned, but she was not surprised. Head Master Shu was the magistrate of Dongan Province. The entire Shu family was cold and emotionless. Head Master Shu was not a good official either. He had handled many dirty businesses. A crooked stick will have a crooked shadow. It could be imagined that the county officials under his jurisdiction were slacking in their work. ¡°Later, I called the men in the family and the people in the village to settle the score with the Ruan family. We fought, and that old hag from the Ruan family lay in bed for almost half a year before she could get up. In the following years, Erbai has been looking for his second daughter and refused to let any clue pass him by. Whenever he heard of a possibility, he would go over to look for his daughter. He went to many places.¡± As she spoke, the old lady looked at the house and continued, ¡°This family is getting poorer and poorer. Sometimes, I also think that we should just stop looking for her. Maybe she¡¯s living a good life now and is enjoying herself. But Er bai said, what if her life is not good? What if Erya is suffering and waiting for us to save her? If we give up, Erya will be finished.¡± Shu Yu lowered her head and her hands on the table were clenched tightly into fists. The old lady wiped her eyes, ¡°Miss Shu, to be honest, I¡¯m telling you this for my own benefit.¡± Shu Yu looked up. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: The Lu Family is Out of Food Chapter 21: The Lu Family is Out of Food Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The old lady said, ¡°I know you¡¯re a young lady from a rich family. You must be more capable than us from the countryside. I was thinking that if you¡¯re really grateful to Erbai for saving your life, please help us ask around and see if you can find Erya¡¯s whereabouts. As for the money for treating Erbai¡¯s leg, we will return it to you in the future.¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t know what to say. Ask about Erya¡¯s whereabouts? She was Erya. What could she ask? Facing the old lady¡¯s eager eyes, Shu Yu¡¯s scalp tingled. She could only restrain her emotions and nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± The old lady was instantly delighted. Just then, Sanya¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Grandma, big sister Shu, mother said it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Shu Yu secretly heaved a sigh of relief and quickly got up and left the living room. The Lu family¡¯s kitchen was very small. Other than two stoves and a square table, there was only a cabinet, a water tank, and a few jars of pickles. At this moment, there were four dishes and a bowl of soup on the table. In addition to the meat she brought, there was also stir-fried cabbage, chives scrambled eggs, fried winter melon, and a towel gourd soup. Dahu and Sanya¡¯s eyes widened, and they couldn¡¯t help but swallow. ¡°So many vegetables, and there are also eggs and meat¡­¡± They hadn¡¯t even had such a feast when they were celebrating new years. This was especially true for that bowl of meat. When celebrating new years, they would only have some minced meat. But now, the meat was all in big pieces, and the portion was huge. How they wished to have so much meat to eat every day. Madam Ruan served Shu Yu a bowl of rice, while the others only had congee. Not even a grain of rice could be seen in their bowls. Her bowl of rice was so heavy that she could feel its weight when she lifted it. Perhaps afraid that she would feel bad, Lu Erbai explained, ¡°The weather is hot. We¡¯ve been working all day and don¡¯t really have an appetite. Porridge is more appetizing.¡± As if Shu Yu would believe that. It seemed that the Lu family did not have much food left. She took the bowl of porridge in front of Sanya and placed it before herself, then pushed the bowl of rice to the middle, saying, ¡°You said that you¡¯ve been working for the whole day, so you must be hungry. I ate something in the county before I came, so I¡¯m not too hungry now. I¡¯ll just have some porridge.¡± ¡°Hey, Miss Shu, you¡­¡± Madam Ruan wanted to persuade her again, but Shu Yu had already started drinking the porridge. The Lu family members looked at each other. Lu Erbai had never looked at Shu Yu carefully before. After all, he was a man and was embarrassed. However, after hearing Madam Ruan¡¯s speculation in the kitchen, he realized that she did look like Daya. Especially when she smiled at Sanya, it was like when Daya was still at home. Lu Erbai quickly shook off the messy thoughts in his mind. He didn¡¯t persuade Shu Yu anymore. After hesitating for a moment, he divided the bowl of rice. At first, Sanya and Dahu did not dare to take any food from the dishes in the middle. Even the other members of the Lu family were a little reserved and only ate the vegetable dishes. Shu Yu, as the guest, couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and gave the twins a few pieces of meat. She ate very quickly. She didn¡¯t touch the meat on the plate much and left the table soon. Shu Yu thought that if she didn¡¯t eat the meat, the others would finish the food. Who knew that after she left, the old lady gave each of them a small piece of meat and put the rest in the cupboard, saying, ¡°We¡¯ll eat it tomorrow.¡± Shu Yu looked up at the sky. With this weather, if they were to wait until tomorrow, wouldn¡¯t the meat go bad? It was getting late. After the Lu family finished eating, they cleaned up and planned to go to bed. There were only two rooms in the Lu family¡¯s house. The big room was for Lu Erbai and his wife with the twins, while the small room was for the old lady alone. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Treating the Leg Injury Chapter 22: Treating the Leg Injury Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Before Daya got married, she had stayed in the same room with the old lady. As such, there was still a bedboard in the room with a few items piled on it. The old lady tidied up her room for Shu Yu to live in. Then, she took her blanket and went out, saying that she was going over to her eldest son¡¯s house. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t stop her and could only let her do as she wished. It seemed that she couldn¡¯t stay at the Lu family¡¯s house tomorrow. It wasn¡¯t right for her to not only finish the Lu family¡¯s grain reserves but also chase the owners away just for her comfort. Shu Yu originally thought that she would be unable to fall asleep since she had a lot of things on her mind. Unexpectedly, she had the most peaceful sleep she had ever had since coming to the Dasu dynasty a year ago. When she woke up the next day, everyone had already packed up. Madam Ruan had even finished washing the clothes. Shu Yu abruptly sat up and rubbed her face in disbelief. Sh*t. Lu Erbai still had to go to the county to get his leg checked today. Had she wasted time since she had slept until now? Shu Yu quickly got dressed and opened the door. Sure enough, everyone was already waiting for her. However, the old lady said that there was no hurry and asked her to take her time. How could Shu Yu take her time? The Lu family had left some breakfast for her in the kitchen. After taking a few bites, they set off. This time, only Lu Erbai and the old lady were going to the county with Shu Yu. Madam Ruan stayed at home to take care of the two children. Even though Madam Ruan wanted to go as well, Lu Erbai was there to treat his injury. It would be too much of a hassle for the whole family to go together. Shu Yu went along because she was not sure if the rumored orthopedist was really that capable. If the other party was just fishing for fame, Lu Erbai¡¯s leg would be beyond saving. The ox-cart was parked outside the door. The old lady had borrowed it yesterday. The one driving the ox-cart was a young man. The old lady introduced him, ¡°This is Daniu from my eldest son¡¯s family. We don¡¯t know how to drive a cart, so I asked him to come over and help.¡± Daniu looked very simple and honest. He didn¡¯t dare to look at Shu Yu too much. He sat on the ox-cart and simply laughed awkwardly. When everyone was seated, he drove the ox-cart out of the village. Many passers-by looked at them, their eyes focused on Shu Yu, pointing at her and discussing something in low voices. Shu Yu didn¡¯t mind. She only asked Lu Erbai how his leg felt. Lu Erbai only said that it hurt a little, probably because of the fall yesterday. Although Daniu didn¡¯t say anything, he slowed down. Shu Yu was surprised. The young man didn¡¯t look it, but he was quite a meticulous person. When they arrived at the county, it was already past seven o¡¯clock in the morning. The entire town was bustling with activity. Following the address that they had inquired about, they arrived at Doctor Xu¡¯s clinic. Although it was called a clinic, it was actually just a small shop. Doctor Xu and his assistant were the only ones in the shop. The rows of medicine cabinets on the wall were quite a spectacular sight. Perhaps it was because Doctor Xu¡¯s consultation prices were too high. There were only two customers in the shop who were here for medicine. There were no patients. Shu Yu and the others went in. Doctor Xu raised his head to take a look. Without saying anything else, he had Lu Erbai sit down and immediately took his pulse while checking his injury. Shu Yu observed Doctor Xu¡¯s expression. After a while, the latter stood up and said, ¡°The bone is dislocated. It needs to be broken and set again.¡± The symptoms he described were more detailed than what Shu Yu had explained. Shu Yu was relieved. The old lady was even more enraged. ¡°That Doctor Yan is indeed a great cause for harm.¡± Doctor Xu was not interested in listening to her scolding. He asked directly, ¡°Do you want to treat him?¡± The old lady looked at Shu Yu. After all, she was the one who was paying. ¡°Of course!¡± Shu Yu nodded without hesitation. Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Shu Yus Plan Chapter 23: Shu Yu¡¯s Plan Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Doctor Xu made a sound of acknowledgment and sized them up. Finally, his gaze fell on Shu Yu. ¡°Since you want to treat him, I will say this first. My medical fees aren¡¯t low. I believe you¡¯ve already inquired about it, hmm? Not to mention setting the bone fracture right, even the follow-up treatment would cost money. I¡¯ll give you a rough estimate. It¡¯ll cost no less than fifteen taels of silver to completely cure him.¡± Before Shu Yu could say anything, the old lady and Daniu both took in a sharp intake of breath. Fifteen taels? This was something that they wouldn¡¯t be able to afford even if they were sold. The old lady thought that the medical fees would¡¯ve been at most six or seven taels. If that were the case, the whole family could work hard and grit their teeth to come up with that amount. Now, hearing Doctor Xu¡¯s words, fifteen taels was just the minimum. It was possible that he would have to pay more later on. How could an ordinary family afford to treat a leg injury? Wasn¡¯t it a bit too expensive? Doctor Xu did not care about their reactions. He could tell that Shu Yu was the one in charge here, so he said to her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although the consultation fee is not low, the medicine I give him is of good quality. I also guarantee that his leg will be completely cured.¡± ¡°We can use cheap medicine as a substitute,¡± The old lady said hurriedly. However, Shu Yu stopped the old lady and said, ¡°No, just use good medicine. Don¡¯t worry about the consultation fee. Doctor Xu, please do as you wish. Here are five taels of silver. Please begin immediately.¡± ¡°Miss¡­¡± The old lady wanted to continue, but Shu Yu shook her head at her. ¡°Uncle Lu¡¯s leg can¡¯t be delayed any longer. Only when his leg is cured will his future days get better.¡± Doctor Xu nodded, ¡°This young lady is right. There¡¯s only a future after his leg is cured.¡± With a wave of his hand, he called for his assistant to come over and carry Lu Erbai inside with Daniu. Shu Yu and the old lady stayed outside while Daniu helped inside. To have one¡¯s bone broken and set again, one could imagine the amount of pain just thinking about it. The effect of the anesthetic in this era wasn¡¯t that great either. When Lu Erbai¡¯s screams of pain sounded, the old lady was so frightened that her legs went soft. Shu Yu was quick to react and quickly supported her, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and sit for a while.¡± The soundproofing here was not very good. Never mind in the clinic, even the people on the road outside could hear Lu Erbai¡¯s screams. Shu Yu even saw the passers-by tremble and look into the clinic suspiciously. After a while, Daniu was the first to come out. He had been driven out by Doctor Xu. His face was pale as if he had suffered a great shock. The old lady poured him a glass of water, and he gulped it down before saying with a lingering fear, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s fine. Doctor Xu said that second uncle¡¯s leg has been set properly and he¡¯s currently fixing it in place. However, Doctor Xu also said that second uncle cannot move now. It is best for him to stay here for the next few days and go back when his bones are stable.¡± ¡°Stay here?¡± The old lady furrowed her brows and thought for a while before saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay and take care of him today. Daniu, send the ox-cart back to the village chief¡¯s house later and let your second aunt know.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Daniu said. The old lady looked at Shu Yu, ¡°Miss Shu, what are your plans?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also return to Shangshi Village.¡± It had been very late when she went to Shangshi Village yesterday, so there were still some things that she didn¡¯t understand. Since the old lady and Lu Erbai were both staying in the county, she would go and ask around. What Shu Yu didn¡¯t know was that it was all because she had this thought that another disaster for the Lu family was prevented from happening. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Shu Yu Goes Shopping Chapter 24: Shu Yu Goes Shopping Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio When the old lady heard that Shu Yu was returning to Shangshi Village, she could not help but feel relieved. She admitted that she was selfish. She was afraid that Shu Yu would never come back after leaving, and consequently, her second son¡¯s leg could not be treated since they did not have the money. The old lady quickly instructed Daniu, ¡°Take good care of Miss Shu. Don¡¯t drive the cart too fast, understand?¡± ¡°Grandma, I know,¡± Daniu promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± It was getting late, and they were all hungry from all the activity. The old lady had brought with her some coarse-flour steamed buns from home as rations. She also brought the leftover meat from yesterday especially for Shu Yu to eat as a side dish, while she and Daniu ate the steamed bun with pickled vegetables. She did want to prepare something better for Shu Yu, but there really was nothing good at home, so she could only make do. Shu Yu didn¡¯t take the food. She asked the old lady to eat the meat quickly, or it would go bad. Then, she got up and said as she headed for the door, ¡°I have to go shopping. I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t go far. First, she had a bowl of noodles at a stall outside. Then, she went to the rice shop. The Lu family should have run out of grains yesterday. Since she was going back to Shangshi Village, she naturally had to buy some food. To be honest, her appetite was not bad, but she was too embarrassed to eat too much in the Lu family. Shu Yu bought a bag of rice and a small bag of flour. She remembered that the dishes from yesterday did not have much oil, so she also bought a small bottle of oil before going to the market to buy a cut of pork. The original owner of this body had starved when she was young, and now, Shu Yu didn¡¯t want to mistreat herself. Shu Yu didn¡¯t bring a basket, so her hands were already fully occupied with these items. She couldn¡¯t carry anything more. However, when she passed by the grocery store, she couldn¡¯t help but think of the Lu family¡¯s bowls that were full of cracks. Last night, the meal had been sumptuous, which was a rare treat. Thus, Sanya gobbled down the food and accidentally cut the corner of her lips. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t resist the urge to go in and buy a few sets of bowls and plates. Although she didn¡¯t have much money on hand, she couldn¡¯t stop her desire to shop. She had to think of a way to earn money as soon as possible. Not only did Lu Erbai need money for his leg treatment, but she would also need money in three months if she ultimately ended up in exile. Shu Yu sized up the huge county town, thinking about how to make a fortune in a short time. It was just that the things in her hands were quite heavy. It seemed that she had to find another opportunity to do some market research. After that, Shu Yu returned to the clinic with rice, flour, oil, and pork. At that point, Lu Erbai had already woken up and was eating the food prepared by the clinic. The consultation fees mentioned by Doctor Xu also included the cost of accommodation and food. That being said, the old lady who was staying behind as a caregiver had to pay for her own meals, though she had saved on the accommodation fees. When the old lady saw the things in Shu Yu¡¯s hands, she was stunned, ¡°Miss Shu, you¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I was hungry, so I bought some food.¡± The old lady¡¯s gaze was complicated. Shu Yu was saying that, but since she was bringing those things back to the Lu family, it would definitely be for everyone to share. Miss Shu was really a generous person. Erbai had saved her before, yet she was not only repaying him but the entire Lu family as well. However, the old lady had selfish motives. After all, there really was nothing to eat at home. Never mind Madam Ruan, but it would be good if Dahu and Sanya could have a good meal. As such, she didn¡¯t say much. Seeing that it was getting late, she asked Daniu to bring the ox cart over. It was better to hurry back to Shangshi Village earlier. Shu Yu went to Doctor Xu alone and asked him to help prepare the old lady¡¯s meal as well. She would pay for it later along with the consultation fee. Either way, it wasn¡¯t a penny too much, so why bother the old lady with more work? Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Has Erya been Found? Chapter 25: Has Erya been Found? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu climbed onto the ox-cart, placed the rice and flour next to her, and the cart departed back to Shangshi Village. Daniu¡¯s personality was shy and introverted, but unexpectedly, he was quite an entrepreneur. Along the way, he would pick up a few villagers who were also heading towards Shangshi Village, and collect one coin each from them as a transportation fee. After all, even though the ox cart was borrowed, they had to pay rent. A round trip cost ten coins. The old lady¡¯s heart ached for the rent. Da Niu thus earned four coins on the way back and was quite happy. When the ox cart arrived at Shangshi Village, only Daniu, Shu Yu, and another woman from the village were left on the cart. Just as they entered the village, a villager ran up to them and asked, ¡°Daniu, you¡¯re back? Where¡¯s your grandma and second uncle?¡± Daniu was taken aback and said, ¡°My second uncle is treating his leg in the county and can¡¯t come back for the time being. My grandma is taking care of him there. What¡¯s wrong, Aunt Fang?¡± ¡°Gosh, something happened at your second uncle¡¯s house.¡± Before Daniu could say anything, Shu Yu frowned and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Aunt Fang didn¡¯t notice who had asked the question and immediately answered, ¡°The old hag from the Ruan family is here again. This time, she brought a girl back, saying that the girl is Erya whom she brought away and sold off that year. She claims that she¡¯s found the girl now, and they¡¯re all at your second uncle¡¯s house.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shu Yu jumped down from the ox-cart, ¡°You¡¯re saying that she brought Erya back?¡± Only then did Aunt Fang notice her strange attitude. However, she still nodded subconsciously, ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Shu Yu immediately said to Daniu, ¡°Please help me bring the things back. I¡¯ll go and take a look first. Without waiting for a response, she headed straight for the Lu family. Daniu couldn¡¯t even react in time. By the time he came back to his senses, Shu Yu¡¯s figure was gone. He didn¡¯t think too much of it and quickly pulled the ox-cart into the village. By the time Shu Yu arrived at the Lu family¡¯s house, many villagers were already surrounding the house. With a single glance, she saw Third Lu and his wife standing at the entrance of the courtyard, watching the commotion. The corners of Shu Yu¡¯s mouth twitched. She squeezed through the crowd and the scene in the courtyard was clear at a glance. An old lady with peppered hair was sitting on a stool, wiping her eyes and crying. As she cried, she howled, ¡°My daughter, I have let you down. I was possessed back then, that¡¯s why I did all those evil things and made you suffer for so many years. In these ten years, you did contact with your family at all. My heart aches!¡± Madam Ruan was dumbfounded. Dahu and Sanya stood on either side of her, holding her hand tightly. They were obviously afraid of the old woman. Dahu pursed his lips tightly, looking at Madam Ruan, then at the old woman. The old woman was still crying, and her voice was quite loud, ¡°All these years, I have been thinking of ways to make it up to you, but I know that unless we find Erya, you will never forgive me. Before that, I didn¡¯t have the face to come to your door. But now, I¡¯ve found Erya for you. Since the two of you are reunited, we should also reconcile.¡± As she spoke, the old woman pushed the thin girl next to her forward, ¡°This is Erya, your daughter. My daughter, take a look for yourself. Don¡¯t you think she looks quite similar to you and your son-in-law?¡± Shu Yu narrowed her eyes and glanced at the girl. Similar, my ass. Not a single part of the girl¡¯s face, including her eyes, nose, and mouth was similar to Lu Erbai or Madam Ruan. Madam Ruan raised her head and looked at the girl in a daze. The girl suddenly rushed forward and knelt in front of Madam Ruan. Then, she raised her head and cried, ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve finally found you.¡± Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Old Lady Ruan Chapter 26: Old Lady Ruan Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The kneel was real. Even Shu Yu, who was standing at the door, was shocked. The other villagers were even more shocked. They started discussing in low voices. ¡°Is this really Erya of the Lu family¡¯s second son?¡± ¡°I think so? That old hag from the Ruan family is crying like this. She seems to be really regretful.¡± ¡°That Old Lady Ruan is ruthless and doesn¡¯t treat Erbai¡¯s wife well. Would she really put in so much effort to help her find her daughter?¡± ¡°What else? She doesn¡¯t need to lie to Erbai¡¯s wife about this. Given Erbai¡¯s family¡¯s situation, what good would it do her to lie?¡± Everyone thought about it and agreed. Why would Old Lady Ruan lie to her daughter without a reason? ¡°Sanzhu, what do you think?¡± One of the villagers asked Third Lu and his wife, who were watching the show. Lu Sanzhu glanced at the courtyard and chuckled, ¡°What should I think? My poor niece had gone missing when she was young. It¡¯s been more than ten years, who knows what she looks like now? I can¡¯t tell, but my second sister-in-law should be able to recognize her daughter, right?¡± The villagers nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Then, Erbai¡¯s wife should know what the birthmarks on Erya are, right?¡± As soon as that was said, Old Lady Ruan pushed the sleeve girl¡¯s arm away and said to Madam Ruan, ¡°Daughter, look, look at her arm. Aren¡¯t these two moles the same as when she was young? This child has suffered a lot outside. Look at how thin she is, it¡¯s too pitiful.¡± Madam Ruan¡¯s eyes widened when she saw the girl¡¯s arm. She quickly grabbed the girl who was being helped up by Old Lady Ruan and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°You, are you really Erya?¡± The girl nodded and cried as she said, ¡°Mother, I missed you so much. I¡¯ve been wandering outside all these years. I¡¯ve been wondering where my parents are and why they haven¡¯t found me. I really wanted to go home. There were thunder and rain outside. Many bad people bullied me, beat me, and starved me. I was so hungry that I drank water just to fill my stomach. I didn¡¯t have a place to sleep either, so I hid under a bridge. I just couldn¡¯t get help from anyone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t say anymore,¡± Madam Ruan couldn¡¯t take it. She had imagined such a scene every day and night. Hearing that it was all true, her heart was about to bleed. Seeing this, the girl quickly grabbed her, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop. Mother, I¡¯ll stop. I¡¯m home now, and our family is finally reunited. In the future, I have a father, a mother, and a family. I¡¯m no longer alone.¡± Old Lady Ruan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I feel much better seeing you and your daughter reunited.¡± Madam Ruan was supported by the two, one on her left and one on her right. She felt as if her brain was swollen and her mind was in a mess. Lu Erbai and the old lady were not around. She was simply no match for Old Lady Ruan. She didn¡¯t have a chance to speak at all between the words of the two newcomers. She did have a few questions in her mind, but they were all interrupted by Old Lady Ruan. Old Lady Ruan even went to Dahu and Sanya and looked at them kindly. She held two candies in her hands and smiled at them, ¡°Dahu, Sanya, we¡¯ve found your second sister. Are you happy? Here, this is the candy that grandma prepared for you. It¡¯s for you to enjoy.¡± The twins looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. A hint of displeasure flashed across Old Lady Ruan¡¯s face, but she quickly forced a smile, ¡°Take it. Grandma bought them for you. You guys can eat it.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the candy in her hand was suddenly slapped to the ground. Old Lady Ruan said angrily, ¡°Who is so rude?¡± She looked up and met Shu Yu¡¯s cold eyes. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Youre a Fake Chapter 27: You¡¯re a Fake Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu¡¯s actions not only stunned Old Lady Ruan and the others in the courtyard but also the villagers outside. This young lady seemed to be the one who came to the Lu family yesterday. What was she doing? Was she going to interfere in the Lu family¡¯s recognition of their daughter? At this moment, the eldest son of the Lu family, Lu Dasong, had also been called back from the fields. When he saw the scene in the courtyard, he was quite stunned. He was listening to Third Lu¡¯s explanation of the situation. Shu Yu stood in the courtyard, frowning hard as she looked at the girl who was holding Madam Ruan¡¯s arm, ¡°Let go.¡± The girl¡¯s body trembled, but she still stiffed her neck and replied, ¡°You, who are you? This is my mother, what right do you have to ask me to let go?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a fake.¡± A fake? As soon as these words came out, not only did Old Lady Ruan and the young lady¡¯s expressions change drastically, but the villagers outside also began to whisper. Shu Yu walked around Old Lady Ruan and walked step by step toward Madam Ruan and the young lady. Arriving right in front of the two, Shu Yu¡¯s gaze fell on the back of the girl¡¯s thin hand that was holding onto Madam Ruan, and she reached out to pull the latter¡¯s hand away. ¡°You¡­¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened. She was furious and wanted to fight with Shu Yu. However, she quickly remembered her situation and suppressed her anger. She turned to look at Madam Ruan and plead pitifully, ¡°Mother, who is she? How can she do this to me?¡± Madam Ruan¡¯s fingers trembled as she held the girl¡¯s arm. Then. she looked at Shu Yu and opened her mouth, calling out in a hoarse voice, ¡°¡­Miss Shu.¡± Her expression was pleading and helpless. Shu Yu understood that it was not that Madam Ruan did not have any doubts in her heart. Rather, it was just as Lu Erbai had said, Madam Ruan was obsessed with finding Erya and thus couldn¡¯t think straight. She had an obsession in her heart. Even though she knew that the other party might be a fake, she still subconsciously wanted to believe that she was her daughter. Without Lu Erbai and the old lady to wake her up, Madam Ruan had walked into her own fantasy and refused to come out. Shu Yu looked at the girl. Because the latter was pulled back by Madam Ruan again, she lifted her chin at Shu Yu proudly. Shu Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed. This time, she wasn¡¯t as gentle as before. She raised her hand and slashed. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The girl yelped in pain and quickly let go. She was furious this time. Without a word, she reached her hand out and clawed at Shu Yu¡¯s face with a ferocious face. Madam Ruan was standing close to her and saw everything clearly. She subconsciously called out, ¡°Miss Shu, be careful.¡± Shu Yu tilted her head and dodged the girl¡¯s attack. Then, she lifted her knee and hit the latter¡¯s stomach. Just as the girl was bending over in pain, she kicked her legs, causing the other party to fall to the ground and be unable to get up. ¡°Wow,¡± The villagers outside the courtyard exclaimed, ¡°Why are they suddenly fighting?¡± Third Lu couldn¡¯t help but touch his own leg. He had long since occupied the best position to watch the show, so naturally, he had seen Shu Yu¡¯s series of actions. Weren¡¯t women¡¯s fights full of tactics like poking the eyes, biting and clawing, pulling the hair, and curses? Yet, this girl¡¯s movements were clean and practiced. She was clearly a martial arts practitioner. Thank God he had been successfully threatened by his mother yesterday when he wanted to settle scores with Shu Yu last night. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t he be the one who would be beaten to the ground with two hits? Lu Dasong, who was standing next to him, had already listened to what the latter had to say about the events and prepared to head in. Although he did not usually interact with his second younger brother¡¯s family, now that his mother and brother were not around, he could not just stand by on such a big matter as finding Erya. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Lu Dasong Chapter 28: Lu Dasong Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio However, before Lu Dasong could enter, Old Lady Ruan, who was in the courtyard, had already reacted and ran to Shu Yu in two or three steps. Shu Yu thought that she was going to scold her, but Old Lady Ruan smiled at her instead while saying, ¡°You must be Miss Shu? This is a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding. This is really Erya. Miss Shu, please let her go first, and we can talk slowly.¡± Shu Yu turned around suspiciously, ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°Of course, of course. I heard that the Lu family has a benefactor who sent my son-in-law to the county to treat his leg early in the morning. Oh my, my daughter¡¯s suffering has finally come to an end. You see, with the help of a benefactor like you, they¡¯ve even found their long-lost daughter. Their good days are yet to come.¡± Shu Yu finally understood why Old Lady Ruan was here. So it seemed that she had come for her. Old Lady Ruan was a no-show when the Lu family didn¡¯t have any money, but when she heard that their fortune was about to turn for the better, she immediately brought an imposter here to try to build a good relationship with her in-laws, huh? Old Lady Ruan smiled so hard that the wrinkles on her face could trap a fly, ¡°Miss Shu, how¡¯s my son-in-law¡¯s leg? Why are he and his mother not back?¡± ¡°What does their return have to do with you?¡± The person before her was the culprit who had stolen Erya and sold her to the Shu family. As such, the more Shu Yu looked at her, the more disgusted she became. ¡°Hurry up and take your imposter out of here. Otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Old Lady Ruan was caught off guard by Shu Yu¡¯s lack of respect, and she couldn¡¯t maintain the smile on her face. The girl on the ground had already gotten up. She had just seen Shu Yu¡¯s means, so she did not dare to pounce on her directly this time. However, she still hid behind Old Lady Ruan and shouted, ¡°Are you crazy? This is our family¡¯s business. What right do you have to interfere as an outsider? I don¡¯t even know you, so what right do you have to say that I¡¯m a fake? This is my home, you should be the one getting out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss Shu. You¡¯re an outsider and don¡¯t know anything about Erya. What right do you have to say that? My daughter finally found her child. Since you¡¯re a guest of the Lu family, you should give her your blessings and some gifts. But now, not only did you call her a fake, you even hit her. This can¡¯t be justified no matter where you go,¡± Old Lady Ruan stopped pretending and echoed loudly. She even turned to the villagers outside the courtyard and said, ¡°Everyone, think about it. Do you think that a mother won¡¯t know better than an outsider like her? My daughter didn¡¯t even say anything, but she¡¯s the one making the decisions here. She beat and scolded the poor Erya, and was so impolite to me, a proper in-law. Those who don¡¯t know better would think that you¡¯re the mistress of the Lu family, right?¡± The villagers looked at each other. There was a lot of information in Madam Ruan¡¯s words. Could it be that this outsider, Miss Shu, had taken a fancy to the old, poor, and crippled Lu Erbai? Impossible, impossible, impossible. Everyone hurriedly shook their heads. Lu Dasong couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer. He walked in and glared at Old Lady Ruan, ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s spouting nonsense. With the things you¡¯ve done back then, would you really be so kind as to bring Erya back? I, for one, think Miss Shu¡¯s words make sense.¡± Old Lady Ruan wasn¡¯t afraid of Lu Dasong. She sneered on the spot, ¡°Oh my, oh my, you think? Do you know Miss Shu? Are you close? Or is there some shameful relationship between you two? She doesn¡¯t have any evidence to say that Erya is an imposter. How the hell do her words make sense?¡± Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: You are Erya! Chapter 29: You are Erya! Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Dasong was so angry that he almost fell backward. The older Old Lady Ruan got, the more she had no scruples and would say anything. However, he was not an eloquent person. Although he was furious, he could not find the words to refute her. Lu Dasong could only look at Shu Yu, ¡°Miss Shu, I¡¯m Lu Erbai¡¯s elder brother. Can I ask, since you¡¯re so certain that this girl isn¡¯t Erya, do you have any evidence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if you have evidence, show it to me,¡± Old Lady Ruan was arrogant and had a look of confidence, not afraid at all. The villagers outside were also jeering. ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss Shu. You can¡¯t just say that she¡¯s not Erya. How can you prove it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. If you can¡¯t produce any evidence, you can¡¯t drive them out. If she¡¯s really Erya, aren¡¯t you the bad guy then?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just say whatever you want, right? Even Erbai¡¯s wife didn¡¯t deny it.¡± Shu Yu frowned and looked around. Before she could say anything, she saw Dahu and Sanya running over. Dahu stood in front of her, blocking her from the crowd. Sanya, who had always been timid, raised her head and said, ¡°Big sister Shu is a good person. She, she is not a bad person. Don¡¯t bully her!¡± Shu Yu¡¯s heart softened. She raised her hand and patted Sanya¡¯s head. Then, she said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She patted Dahu¡¯s shoulder and asked him to stand with Sanya. Then, she looked at Madam Ruan. Madam Ruan had not said a word since just now. She did not know why, but even though that girl had the same moles as Erya on her arm, she still did not have the slightest intention to help the girl when she was being hit and scolded by Shu Yu Now that she met Shu Yu¡¯s eyes, Madam Ruan was stunned. These eyes¡­ Shu Yu¡¯s back was facing the villagers outside the courtyard, and she rolled up her sleeves while facing Madam Ruan. Madam Ruan looked down and her eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t help but grab Shu Yu¡¯s arm, her eyes locked on the two moles on the latter¡¯s arm. Lu Dasong, who was standing nearby, saw it too. He looked at her in shock. ¡°You¡­ You have the same moles on your arm. Are you Erya?!¡± Madam Ruan¡¯s lips trembled, ¡°It really is you. I didn¡¯t get it wrong. You¡¯re Erya, right? You¡¯re Erya. I knew it¡­ Sob¡­¡± She looked so excited that if it wasn¡¯t for Shu Yu¡¯s quick reflexes to support her, Madam Ruan would have collapsed to the ground. ¡°What?¡± On the other side, Old Lady Ruan¡¯s expression changed drastically when she heard this. She hurriedly took two steps forward and also saw Shu Yu¡¯s arm. She raised her head in shock, ¡°You¡¯re Erya? No, it¡¯s impossible. Impossible!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Shu Yu rolled down her sleeves and smiled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me what evidence I have? I¡¯m the evidence. Since I¡¯m the child you stole and sold, the others are imposters.¡± ¡°You, you¡­ No! You¡¯re not Erya, she is!¡± ¡°Her?¡± Shu Yu looked at the girl and sized her up, ¡°Ask the villagers here and see which part of her from head to toe resembles the Lu family. Is it her flat nose, thick lips, or small eyes?¡± ¡°But she has the moles on her arm.¡± ¡°I have the moles too.¡± Old Lady Ruan started to panic, ¡°Since there are two of you, what right do you have to say that you are Erya and that she is a fake?¡± ¡°Well, to be honest, it¡¯s very easy to know who¡¯s real and who¡¯s fake,¡± Shu Yu looked at Madam Ruan and said, ¡°I think there should be other birthmarks on the real Erya besides these two well-known moles, right?¡± Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Hug Chapter 30: Hug Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Madam Ruan nodded quickly, ¡°Yes, yes there is.¡± Old Lady Ruan abruptly looked at her, flustered and exasperated, ¡°What do you mean? Could it be that you¡¯d rather believe this girl of unknown origin than your own mother? Why would I bring a fake one to impersonate Erya?¡± Madam Ruan shuddered. Shu Yu stood in front of her and sneered at the obviously diffident Old Lady Ruan, ¡°Why are you so nervous? Didn¡¯t you say it yourself? A mother will definitely know whether or not Erya is real. Oh right, you must have been so flustered when you stole Erya that you probably didn¡¯t notice anything else. You only knew that she had two moles on her arm. ¡± ¡°I, I¡­¡± Old Lady Ruan was speechless. She really didn¡¯t know what kind of birthmarks Erya had on her body. At that time, she didn¡¯t even have time to run. After handing the baby over, she took the money and quickly hid. After all, the other party wanted a boy. She had cheated the buyer. Under such circumstances, she did not even have the time to open Erya¡¯s swaddle. Old Lady Ruan wanted to refute, but Shuyu did not give her the chance. She turned to look at Madam Ruan, ¡°Tell me, what other birthmarks can prove that I¡¯m really Erya?¡± Madam Ruan calmed down. Perhaps it was because she saw Shu Yu¡¯s calm appearance that she could not help but feel at ease. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Can I take a look at the back of your necks? Erya has a birthmark the size of a rice grain on her nape.¡± The Lu family had never told anyone about this. Moreover, there were so many people in the courtyard, as well as outside, so it wasn¡¯t appropriate to talk about other body parts either. Old Lady Ruan and the young lady looked at each other and wanted to make a scene. However, Shu Yu had already brushed her hair to one side and calmly let Madam Ruan see her nape. She couldn¡¯t see the back of her neck, so she didn¡¯t know if there was such a birthmark. But she knew that the Dongqing Temple master¡¯s investigation couldn¡¯t be wrong. With just one look, Madam Ruan¡¯s tears flowed out uncontrollably. If she had only believed it 80 to 90% just now, after seeing the birthmark on the back of Shu Yu¡¯s neck, Madam Ruan was sure that she was Erya. ¡°It¡¯s you. You¡¯re Erya, my daughter,¡± Madam Ruan started crying and hugged Shu Yu, ¡°Erya, I¡¯ve missed you so much. I almost thought that I would never see you again in my life. Erya, you¡¯re finally back. Sob¡­¡± Shu Yu was taken aback by her hug. How many years had it been since she had been hugged by someone with such strong emotions? In her previous life, her parents died early, and she had been bent on revenge. To climb up the societal ladder, she sometimes even resorted to unscrupulous means. She had rarely made any close friends, trusted anyone, and even rejected relationships that made her feel restrained. No one had ever hugged her. As such, even though she had climbed higher and higher in her previous life, she had always been alone. She was always alone on the road leading to the future. Now, in the face of Madam Ruan¡¯s crying, Shu Yu didn¡¯t know where to put her hands and was at a loss for a reaction. After a long time, she raised her hand slightly and patted Madam Ruan¡¯s back awkwardly and stiffly. She said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll stop crying. It¡¯s a happy thing that you¡¯re home. How can I cry?¡± Madam Ruan finally let go of Shu Yu reluctantly. She wiped her tears and looked up at the latter carefully, from her forehead to her nose to her mouth. It was as if she didn¡¯t want to let go of a single hair. Shu Yu felt uncomfortable being stared at. She was about to say something to divert her attention when she heard a scream of horror. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Madam Liangs Crazy Genius Operation Chapter 31: Madam Liang¡¯s Crazy Genius Operation Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu and Madam Ruan turned their heads at the same time, only to see Third Lu and his wife Madam Liang running into the courtyard. Madam Liang didn¡¯t hesitate to take advantage of the moment when Old Lady Ruan and the young lady weren¡¯t paying attention. She directly grabbed the young lady and looked at her nape. It was hard to tell if the girl was really unkempt or if she was deliberately making her appearance terrible, but she hadn¡¯t taken a bath for a few days, so her nape was black with dirt. Madam Liang immediately spat on the girl¡¯s nape, then rubbed it hard a few times, until a layer of dirt was removed. Following this, she smiled in satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a look. There¡¯s no birthmark on the back of this girl¡¯s neck. She¡¯s a fake.¡± Shu Yu was amazed. To think there was such a crazy genius operation? She had seen Madam Liang twice, and both times she had been shocked by the latter¡¯s unexpected actions. Old Lady Ruan finally came to her senses and pounced on Madam Liang to hit her. ¡°What are you doing? To think you spit on someone else¡¯s neck, do you have some serious illness?¡± Madam Liang wasn¡¯t a pushover. She simply shoved Old Lady Ruan away and said, ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m helping my second sister-in-law to prove whether this girl is really Erya. Miss Shu has already shown her nape to my second sister-in-law so openly and straightforwardly. Aren¡¯t you guys clearly diffident since you¡¯re so elusive?¡± Third Lu was also clamoring from the side, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. You took advantage of my mother and second brother¡¯s absence to come over. Did you think that the Lu family has no one and you can deceive us as you please?¡± As they spoke, the couple stood beside Madam Ruan and Shu Yu with an expression that said, ¡°If you dare to talk nonsense and do anything stupid again, we¡¯ll kill you¡±. Shu Yu looked at the couple suspiciously. What were they trying to do? They had never been so righteous before. Hadn¡¯t they just been standing at the entrance of the courtyard and watching the show not long ago? However, she couldn¡¯t bother with them at this time. Shu Yu looked at Old Lady Ruan and the girl while walking towards them step by step. ¡°Now, can you tell us what you want to do by bringing along this imposter?¡± Old Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. ¡°I, I¡­¡± She looked at Madam Ruan, Shu Yu, Third Lu and his wife, and Lu Dasong, who were standing in the courtyard. Her heart skipped a beat. Old Lady Ruan couldn¡¯t help but regret not bringing her son over. At that time, she thought that since the old lady from the Lu family wasn¡¯t around and Second Lu had also gone to the county town, she and the girl would be enough. Their combination would be just nice to appear pitiful and soften her daughter¡¯s heart. She had never expected a Miss Shu to appear out of nowhere. On top of that, this Miss Shu was the real Erya. Old Lady Ruan was unwilling to fail, but seeing the Lu family¡¯s fierce gazes, she suddenly closed her eyes and sat on the ground. Then she slapped her thigh and cried, ¡°Oh my, my life is so hard. My good intentions have been taken for granted. How would I know that this girl is a fake? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been deceived. My life is bitter.¡± Shu Yu watched the other party¡¯s excellent show and smiled. Then, she turned to ask the girl, ¡°She said she was deceived by you, so you¡¯re the liar? Where did you come from? What do you want? You¡¯re trying to trick the Lu family by impersonating Lu Erya, but what¡¯s next? The Lu family has nothing to offer, and they¡¯re living a poor life. They have nothing worth your deception. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to use this opportunity to stay in Shangshi Village and use your identity as the Erya of the Lu family to do something to the villagers. Tell me, do you have an accomplice? Where are your accomplices? What are your plans?¡± The girl was dumbfounded. She, she didn¡¯t want to do anything. Since when did she have accomplices? Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Escape Chapter 32: Escape Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio However, when the girl turned, she saw the villagers all looking at her with burning eyes, as if she really was going to do something that would harm Shangshi Village. The girl was instantly frightened and sold out Old Lady Ruan without hesitation, ¡°No, I¡¯m not a liar. I don¡¯t know anything. It¡¯s all her fault, she asked me to impersonate Erya.¡± She pointed at Old Lady Ruan and quickly cleared her name, ¡°I¡¯m just a beggar. She met me a few days ago and saw the two moles on my arm. Then, she told me to pretend to be the second daughter of the Lu family. She said that if I entered the Lu family, I would have a place to live and food to eat. I didn¡¯t expect to find the Lu family so out and down when I arrived. That being said, at least I would have an identity and a place to live. I wouldn¡¯t have to sleep on the streets. That¡¯s why I agreed to it. She planned everything.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shu Yu expressed her doubts. The girl nodded quickly, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Otherwise, how would I know that Erya has two moles on her arm? She was the one who told me.¡± Shu Yu looked at Old Lady Ruan, ¡°What else do you have to say now? What¡¯s your purpose in letting a beggar impersonate Erya?¡± ¡°What purpose could I have? The Lu family doesn¡¯t have anything. Do you think I can steal some money from them by doing this? Isn¡¯t it because I saw that my daughter misses Erya every day that I wanted to help her? I¡¯m doing this for the Lu family¡¯s good.¡± Old Lady Ruan retreated as she spoke. When she was almost done with her words, she turned and ran out of the courtyard. Madam Liang let out a ¡°heh¡±, spitting, ¡°This damned old hag, I¡¯ll go after her.¡± ¡°Third sister-in-law, don¡¯t go. Let her be,¡± Lu Dasong stopped her. So what if Madam Liang caught up with Old Lady Ruan? The latter was, after all, the mother of their second sister-in-law. Besides, her plot had failed. It wasn¡¯t as if they could beat her up, right? Madam Liang pouted unwillingly and exchanged a glance with Third Lu. The impersonating girl saw that Old Lady Ruan had escaped and knew that if she didn¡¯t leave, she would have to take all the blame. Without another word, she squeezed through the crowd and ran away. Madam Liang wanted to catch her but failed. She stomped her feet in anger, ¡°They¡¯re quite fast to run.¡± Shu Yu couldn¡¯t grab the girl either. Madam Ruan was holding onto her arm tightly as if Shu Yu would disappear again if she didn¡¯t. Shu Yu was not used to physical contact, so she struggled twice but couldn¡¯t break free. Ultimately, she gave up. Now that the two troublemakers had left, Madam Ruan still didn¡¯t let go. Even Sanya and Dahu quietly moved closer to her, looking at her with curious and happy expressions. In the past, they had only thought that she was a beautiful and gentle fairy-like big sister, but there was still some distance between them. But now, this fairy-like big sister had actually become their second sister. The two children felt an unspeakable joy in their hearts. They also wanted to hug their second sister like their mother. Sanya even secretly reached out her little hand, wanting to hold Shu Yu¡¯s hand, but she quickly retracted it when she touched the latter¡¯s hand. Shu Yu found it funny. Looking at the soft little girl, she couldn¡¯t care less about Old Lady Ruan. She reached out to hold Sanya¡¯s small hand. The little girl abruptly raised her head and looked at her in surprise. Shu Yu blinked at her, and Sanya¡¯s face turned red instantly. She lowered her head shyly. When Shu Yu raised his head again, she saw that Lu Dasong was already evacuating the villagers who had been watching the show. After most of the people had left, Lu Dasong closed the door. All of a sudden, only the Lu family members were left in the courtyard. Madam Liang wanted to say something, but Lu Dasong came over first. He looked at Shu Yu and sized her up for a long time before finally nodding, ¡°You do look somewhat similar to Daya.¡± Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: My Name is Lu Shuyu Chapter 33: My Name is Lu Shuyu Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio As Lu Dasong spoke, he looked at Madam Ruan with a serious expression, ¡°Second sister-in-law, Are you sure that she¡¯s really Erya?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, very sure,¡± Madam Ruan nodded hurriedly and held on tightly to Shu Yu. She looked at Lu Dasong with a strong sense of vigilance, afraid that he would say something along the lines of asking Shu Yu to leave. Lu Dasong had wanted to say something, but he choked back his words when he saw this. He could only say awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s good then. It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve found her. After so many years, our family is finally reunited. Then¡­ We¡¯ll take our leave for now. Since you¡¯ve just reunited, you must have a lot to say. Later when mother and Second Lu come back, we can gather again.¡± Of course, he hoped that the girl before him was Erya. All these years, he had seen with his own eyes how his second brother¡¯s life had changed from being relatively well-off to what it was now. His second brother had always been willing to work. When he was young, he had been accepted as an apprentice because of his reliability. After he graduated as an apprentice and got married, he earned the most among the three brothers. His wife was also hardworking. It could be said that before Erya was stolen, Second Lu had the best life among the three brothers. At that time, they had a good relationship as brothers. But after that, Second Lu insisted on finding Erya. One or two years was nothing, but this search took more than ten years. Who could withstand such torment? It didn¡¯t take long for Second Lu¡¯s house to become increasingly dilapidated, and he had to borrow money everywhere. Lu Dasong had a family of his own, and his wife was already unhappy after lending some money once. At that time, their mother had been living with him, the eldest son. Yet, the old lady always used her rations to help her second son. As a result, his wife and his mother quarreled a few times, and the latter ended up living with her second son. The two brothers naturally distanced themselves from each other and had very little interaction with each other. At the thought of this, Lu Dasong couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He looked at Shu Yu, ¡°Er¡­¡± Looking at her face, he just couldn¡¯t say the name ¡°Erya¡± no matter what. ¡°Just call me Shu Yu. I¡¯m Lu Shuyu,¡± Shu Yu was her name before she transmigrated. Back in the Shu family, she was called ¡°Shu Yu¡± too, but although the pronunciation was the same, it was a different word. Madam Ruan¡¯s face lit up when she heard what she said. Erya had just said that her surname was Lu. Lu Dasong could not help but raise his eyebrows and smile, ¡°Alright, Shu Yu, then you have a good chat with your mother. They haven¡¯t given up on looking for you all these years. We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± With that, Lu Dasong called Lu Sanzhu and his wife to leave. Lu Sanzhu was unwilling to do so, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ll stay here and work on my relationship with my niece.¡± Lu Dasong frowned, ¡°What relationship? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. Come out with me.¡± ¡°No, big brother, I¡¯m very sincere.¡± Lu Dasong simply disregarded Lu Sanzhu. He grabbed the latter by the collar and walked out. Lu Sanzhu was usually a sly and sneaky person who didn¡¯t like to do work. He couldn¡¯t compare to Lu Dasong, who spent most of his time doing heavy work in the fields. After struggling several times, he couldn¡¯t break free. He could only be dragged out of the courtyard. Madam Liang looked at Shu Yu and the others, then at her husband who was taken away. She stomped her foot and said, ¡°Second sister-in-law, we¡¯ll go back first. We¡¯ll come to see our niece another day.¡± Just like that, the three of them left Second Lu¡¯s house one after another. Several villagers were loitering outside the courtyard. They kept craning their necks to peer, extremely curious about the long-lost daughter of the Lu family. In particular, Shu Yu didn¡¯t seem to be in dire straits. All of them felt that Second Lu¡¯s happiness was about to come after all the suffering and he was about to strike it rich. When they saw Lu Dasong come out, all of them pretended that they weren¡¯t busybodies and looked at different spots, like up at the sky, down at the ground, or the corner of the wall. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Third Lus Thoughts Chapter 34: Third Lu¡¯s Thoughts Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Dasong didn¡¯t look at the villagers. He let go of Lu Sanzhu and warned him, ¡°Our second sister-in-law and the others have just reunited with Erya. Don¡¯t disturb them if you don¡¯t have anything important, understand? Go back home.¡± He had other matters to attend to in the fields, so he did not stay any longer. After glaring at Lu Sanzhu, he left. However, this time, his footsteps were much lighter. After all, finding Erya was a joyous matter, and Lu Dasong was quite happy. Watching Lu Dasong¡¯s figure disappear, Lu Sanzhu snorted and spat at his back, ¡°Big brother is really cunning. Never mind if he wants to leave, but he¡¯s also blocking my way to get rich.¡± Madam Liang blinked at him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We helped the second sister-in-law just now and exposed Old Lady Ruan¡¯s scheme. Erya should at least remember this favor, right?¡± ¡°She must remember. Even if she doesn¡¯t, I will remind her,¡± Lu Sanzhu scoffed and glanced at the Lu family¡¯s courtyard. Then, he waved his hand, ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go home first. I¡¯ll give them some time to catch up. We¡¯ll go visit later and show our faces in front of Erya. It¡¯s also fortunate that the real Erya is Miss Shu. She looks like a rich person. It¡¯s only reasonable for her to help us out, her poor uncle and aunt who have helped her before.¡± Madam Liang nodded, and the couple entered the house, imagining the riches they might gain and chuckling. At this time, Shu Yu, who they were thinking about, was being pulled into the house by Madam Ruan. As soon as she entered, Madam Ruan couldn¡¯t help but want to cry again. She grabbed Shu Yu tightly with one hand and asked, ¡°Erya, how have you been all these years? Did the person who bought you mistreat you? How did you find this place? Where are your adoptive parents? They¡­¡± Her questions were quick and anxious, and Shu Yu didn¡¯t interrupt her. When Madam Ruan was almost done, Shu Yu said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t look like I¡¯ve suffered, right? The family that bought me back then wanted a boy, so after they saw that I was a girl, they gave me away. My adoptive parents treated me very well, and I was their only daughter. Two years ago, they had an accident and passed away. Only then did they tell me about my background and asked me to come and find my family.¡± Shu Yu naturally couldn¡¯t tell them about the Shu family, so she could only make up a story, ¡°I only found out about your whereabouts a few days ago, so I wanted to come and take a look. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t acknowledge you at first. I wasn¡¯t sure if you would welcome me¡­¡± ¡°Of course, we would welcome you!¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± After hearing that she had been living well, Madam Ruan finally heaved a long sigh of relief. She patted Shu Yu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your adoptive parents. After we settle down, I will go with you to see them.¡± Shu Yu was speechless. Where to? She could only nod and avoid Madam Ruan¡¯s gaze. Then, she saw Sanya and Dahu who were standing at the side and looking at her with great concentration. When Shu Yu saw their identical expressions, her mood could not help but improve. She smiled and waved at them, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m your second sister, aren¡¯t you happy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy. I¡¯m very happy. It¡¯s like, it¡¯s like I¡¯m dreaming,¡± Sanya said in a low voice and carefully came forward. Then, she reached out her small hand and touched Shu Yu gently. Dahu also nodded hard at the side as if he was afraid that Shu Yu would misunderstand and leave again in a bad mood. Madam Ruan looked at the three of them happily. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Egg and Shredded Pork Noodles Chapter 35: Egg and Shredded Pork Noodles Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio At first, Madam Ruan thought it was Third Lu and his wife, but Daniu¡¯s voice sounded instead, ¡°Second aunt, it¡¯s me, Daniu. Dahu quickly turned around and ran over to open the courtyard door. Daniu¡¯s face was filled with joy as he walked in with the rice, flour, grains, and oil that Shu Yu had bought. Shu Yu and Madam Ruan also came over. Daniu looked at Shu Yu, his eyes sparkling, ¡°You, you¡¯re really Erya? ¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Daniu laughed and said, ¡°Good, that¡¯s good. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back.¡± When he had driven the ox-cart and they had arrived at the village entrance, Shu Yu had run back first. Daniu had originally followed her, but he had to drive the ox cart. The village road was narrow, so his progress had been slow. On the way, he happened to run into Lu Dasong, who was rushing back from the fields. Lu Dasong told him not to go. After all, Old Ladu Ruan was not easy to get along with. Daniu was an honest person and a junior. If they met face to face, he would only be at a disadvantage. Lu Dasong stated that he would just go over and take a look himself. Then, Lu Dasong asked Daniu to return the ox-cart to the village chief¡¯s house first before going home to call his wife over. Some things were easier to solve between women. In the end, when Daniu returned the ox-cart to the village chief and went home to call his mother over to help, his mother was unwilling and said that she did not want to get involved in Old Lady Ruan¡¯s matters. When seeing that he was back with rice, flour, grains, and oil, she had even almost snatched those things away. Just as Daniu had been arguing with his mother, Lu Dasong returned. Only then did Daniu hear of Shu Yu¡¯s identity. He hurriedly carried the things and ran to Second Lu¡¯s house. He said to Madam Ruan, ¡°These are all bought by Shu¡­ Erya. She heard that you were in trouble and ran back, so she didn¡¯t have time to carry them with her. I¡¯m just sending them over.¡± Madam Ruan looked at the things in Daniu¡¯s hands in shock, ¡°This, this, Erya, why did you buy these?¡± Shu Yu just smiled and said to Daniu, ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s getting late. Stay for dinner?¡± ¡°No, no. I have food at home. I¡¯ll go back first,¡± Daniu waved his hand and left. The door closed again, leaving only Shu Yu and a few others in the courtyard. Madam Ruan looked at the rice and flour on the ground, speechless for a long time. Shu Yu simply handed the oil to Sanya and put the meat in Dahu¡¯s hands. Then, she picked up the rice, flour, and bowls while saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Help me take them to the kitchen.¡± Sanya and Dahu looked at each other and saw that Shu Yu had already walked into the kitchen without looking back. The two of them quickly followed. Madam Ruan was stunned for a moment, but she quickly followed. ¡°Erya, why did you buy so much food? What, what are you doing? It wasn¡¯t easy for you to come back, so we should be the ones taking care of you. Why are you the one spending so much money instead?¡± Shu Yu placed the rice and flour on the table and turned to look at Madam Ruan¡¯s flustered expression. She said in a slightly depressed mood, ¡°If you continue to say such things and be so polite to me, you¡¯re just treating me as an outsider.¡± ¡°No, no, how could I treat you as an outsider? You¡¯re my Erya. Mother won¡¯t be polite with you, no indeed.¡± Shu Yu immediately waved at Dahu and Sanya, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s make noodles for dinner tonight. It¡¯ll save us the trouble. How about egg and shredded pork noodles? There should be eggs at home, right?¡± Egg and shredded pork noodles? Sanya and Dahu swallowed their saliva and looked at Shu Yu with bright eyes. Shu Yu asked them to help carry a basin over, ¡°I¡¯ll show you guys my skills today, but you have to help me start the fire.¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: So Delicious that They Stomp Chapter 36: So Delicious that They Stomp Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu¡¯s cooking skills were not bad. In her previous life, to climb the societal ladder and stand by the side of her enemy, she had put a lot of effort into culinary. Sanya immediately raised her hand, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m good at controlling the fire.¡± Dahu was not to be outdone, ¡°Me, I¡¯m better at it.¡± ¡°Nonsense, my fire is stronger than yours.¡± Madam Ruan looked at the three of them getting along with each other. She couldn¡¯t help but feel tears, but she was also very happy. She wiped her eyes and went forward to say, ¡°All of you should rest. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Shu Yu would definitely not let Madam Ruan cook the noodles. Otherwise, there would be no oil or meat at all. She didn¡¯t exactly like oily or salty food, but two drops of oil in a bowl of vegetables was something she refused. Shu Yu pushed Madam Ruan out of the kitchen, then took out the bowls she bought in the county and gave them to her, asking the latter to wash them. Madam Ruan couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Since Erya was filial, she couldn¡¯t be too polite. Otherwise, Erya would overthink it and take it as her reluctance to treat her as a daughter. However, when Madam Ruan came in after washing up, she saw that Shu Yu poured a thick layer of oil in preparation to stir-fry the shredded meat. With that, Madam Ruan covered her chest and almost gasped. She wanted to say that they shouldn¡¯t pour so much oil since it was too wasteful. However, she opened her mouth and quickly closed it again. Then, she endured her heartache and put the bowl back into the cupboard one by one, but her eyes kept glancing at the stove from time to time. Shu Yu put the shredded meat into the pot. Sizzling sounds danced in their ears, and the fragrance followed closely. Sanya and Dahu stood by the stove, puffed out their chests, and took deep breaths. Their eyes were closed in intoxication. ¡°It¡¯s so fragrant. It¡¯s too fragrant.¡± Madam Ruan thought, ¡°Well wouldn¡¯t it be fragrant? After all, so much oil was used.¡± The shredded meat had been finely cut, so it cooked quickly. Shu Yu used a pair of chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat each for the two little ones. As soon as they put the meat in their mouths, the two of them looked up in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s so good¡­¡± It was the most delicious meat they had ever eaten in their lives. Sanya stomped her feet in joy. Dahu¡­ Dahu went out and ran around the yard. Seeing this, Madam Ruan couldn¡¯t help but smile. Ever since Erya disappeared, she rarely smiled. The noodles were cooked very quickly. Shu Yu poured the cooked noodles into a basin and placed the basin on the table. At first, Madam Ruan didn¡¯t notice it because she was standing far away. Only now did she realize that the serving of noodles was extraordinarily huge. Her mother-in-law and husband weren¡¯t around, so they shouldn¡¯t be able to eat so much, right? But if she kept the noodles until tomorrow, they would become soggy. She looked at Shu Yu and ultimately didn¡¯t say anything. She just asked the two children to wash their hands. Unexpectedly, Dahu ran in while in the middle of washing up and said, ¡°Mother, second sister, third uncle is knocking on the door.¡± Madam Ruan said a soft ¡°shit¡± in her heart when she heard that, ¡°Oh no, he must have come because of the fragrance.¡± Without her mother-in-law, she was no match for her third brother and third sister-in-law. She might not be able to save the noodles from them. Dahu hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the basin to the room and hide it.¡± Sanya shook her head, ¡°That won¡¯t do. Grandma said that third uncle has a dog¡¯s nose.¡± The three of them were panicking. Usually, they had nothing good to eat at home, and with the old lady¡¯s presence, Lu Sanzhu did not come over. In contrast, Shu Yu was very calm. She even took out a large bowl and picked out a portion of the noodles. She then said to Dahu, ¡°Open the door and let him in.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Dahu was stunned for a moment. He quickly explained to her, ¡°Second sister, you don¡¯t know third uncle¡¯s personality. He will¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± Shu Yu smiled, ¡°I made extra noodles on purpose. I knew he would come.¡± The three people present were dumbfounded. What did Erya mean? Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Let Lu Sanzhu Help Chapter 37: Let Lu Sanzhu Help Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Dahu ran to open the door with a face full of suspicion. Fortunately, Lu Sanzhu was the only one outside. His third aunt and the annoying Dabao were not there. Lu Sanzhu flashed a rare, brilliant smile at Dahu. He patted the latter¡¯s head perfunctorily, then walked around him and went straight to the kitchen. ¡°Oh my, I smelled the fragrance from far away.¡± The shredded meat and egg noodles on the table were very eye-catching. Lu Sanzhu saw it at first glance, and his eyes immediately lit up. When he saw the oily soup in the basin, he was so hungry that he drooled. Lu Sanzhu plopped down on a stool and smiled at them, ¡°I was wondering why something was smelling so good. So it turns out that second sister-in-law¡¯s family is cooking meat. These noodles are good. It¡¯s appetizing just by appearance and smells even better than the ones cooked by the chefs in the restaurants in the county. Now that Erya is back. it¡¯s really different. Second older brother¡¯s family is living a better life now.¡± As he spoke, he had already picked up the chopsticks on the table and was about to start eating, ¡°It just so happens that I¡¯m hungry. Let me try it.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Madam Ruan wanted to stop him. However, Shu Yu had already pushed Lu Sanzhu¡¯s chopsticks down, ¡°Wait a minute. ¡± Lu Sanzhu was taken aback. He raised his head and met Shuyu¡¯s smiling eyes. When he thought of how Shuyu had beaten the imposter up so quickly, he put down his chopsticks and smiled sycophantically at her, ¡°Erya, I¡¯m your third uncle. You see, your third aunt and I helped you expose that imposter today. It¡¯s not too much to let me have some noodles to share in the joy, right?¡± Shu Yu nodded, ¡°Indeed.¡± Lu Sanzhu¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Erya is still the most generous.¡± After saying that, he picked up the chopsticks again. ¡°But I have something I need your help with. If you agree, I¡¯ll let you take this big bowl of noodles back.¡± Lu Sanzhu was stunned. Help? He laughed dryly, ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. As your third uncle, I¡¯m just eating a bowl of your noodles. Why are there even conditions? You¡¯re a junior, so it¡¯s only right for you to be filial to your elders.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I was wrong. As my third uncle, I should not have used noodles as a token for you to help your niece. So even if you don¡¯t eat the noodles, you¡¯ll definitely help, right? This is the care and love of an elder to a junior.¡± Lu Sanzhu was speechless. Good Lord, his second brother¡¯s family now had a sharp-tongued girl. Shu Yu smiled and moved the bowl on the table to the side, further away from Lu Sanzhu. Lu Sanzhu gritted his teeth. His stomach was growling from the aroma. In the past, it would have been fine if it was just his second sister-in-law and the two children. He could have snatched the noodles directly. At those times, he could even bring the basin of noodles back, let alone the big bowl. However, Erya seemed to be a martial arts practitioner. It seemed that he could not just eat for free this time. Lu Sanzhu sighed, ¡°Alright, then tell me. What do you need my help with? But let me say this first, your third uncle doesn¡¯t have any great abilities, so I might not be able to help you.¡± Shu Yu stole a glance at Madam Ruan, then pointed outside and said to him, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside. ¡°You¡¯re being so mysterious,¡± Lu Sanzhu pursed his lips. Unwillingly, he stood up and walked out of the kitchen. Shu Yu said to Madam Ruan, ¡°You can eat noodles with Sanya and Dahu first. It won¡¯t be good if it¡¯s all soggy later.¡± Madam Ruan opened her mouth and looked worriedly at the two of them as they went to the courtyard. Lu Sanzhu was thinking about the bowl of noodles, so he said anxiously, ¡°Alright, hurry up and tell me. What do you need my help with?¡± ¡°I want you to help me find out what the Ruan family¡¯s purpose is in finding an imposter to impersonate Erya.¡± Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: You are Just Stingy Chapter 38: You are Just Stingy Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Sanzhu was surprised. Then, he smiled and waved his hand, ¡°Oh, I thought it was something hard. There¡¯s no need to ask about it, I know why.¡± ¡°You do?¡± Lu Sanzhu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Speaking of which, you¡¯re the cause.¡± Shu Yu raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why do you say so?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you come yesterday? When you entered the village, many people saw you. You even gave candy to the children at the village entrance and brought meat and sweets to my second brother¡¯s house. At that time, everyone was saying that a noble person had come looking for my second brother and that his life would be better in the future. After that, my mother went to the village head¡¯s house to borrow an ox-cart, saying that Doctor Yan wasn¡¯t around and that she wanted to bring my second brother to the county town to have his legs examined.¡± Lu Sanzhu was excited when he talked about this, ¡°You don¡¯t know this, but with my second brother¡¯s family¡¯s situation, he has to think twice before going to town to look for a doctor, let alone the county. How can he treat his legs without money? Besides, it¡¯s just a fall. Which country bumpkin wouldn¡¯t bear with it and just apply some medicinal herbs? To think my second brother was going to the county, so someone must be paying the consultation fee, right? Since my mother didn¡¯t go about borrowing money, everyone must¡¯ve thought of you, no?¡± ¡°There¡¯s also that Doctor Yan. Indeed, he wasn¡¯t around yesterday, but he returned to the village this morning. When he heard about this, he was so angry that my mother didn¡¯t believe him and would rather go to a doctor so far away than put on the ointment he gave her. The villagers were talking about this matter everywhere. It just so happened that someone from Old Lady Ruan¡¯s village came here to see Doctor Yan for treatment. Doctor Yan told him about it and that person went back to spread the news. With that, the Ruan family would naturally know that a rich young lady is here at my second brother¡¯s house, brought meat, and is even paying for medical treatment. It¡¯s only a given that they would come over to build a good relationship with my second sister-in-law.¡± With the Ruan family¡¯s greedy nature, it would be strange if they didn¡¯t rush over. Lu Sanzhu finished, ¡°That¡¯s all. Alright, I¡¯m going to eat my noodles.¡± He had just taken a step forward before being pulled back by Shu Yu, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Lu Sanzhu was extremely anxious. If they waited any longer, the noodles would be finished by his second sister-in-law and the others. Shu Yu stood in front of him, blocking his way, ¡°What you¡¯re saying is what happened from last night to this morning, right? But you heard the beggar say that Old Lady Ruan came to her a few days ago and asked her to pretend to be Erya. At that time, I hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and the Lu family was still down and out as usual. What does Old Lady Ruan want by finding such a person?¡± In the beginning, she did think that Old Lady Ruan was after her. However, after hearing the female beggar¡¯s words, Shu Yu felt that things were not that simple. Lu Sanzhu was surprised, ¡°That¡¯s right. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? Then tell me, why did Old Lady Ruan put in so much effort?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this what I wanted you to find out?¡± Lu Sanzhu was speechless. Shu Yu patted his shoulder, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Eh, wait. This matter sounds very complicated. You¡¯re only giving me a bowl of noodles. Aren¡¯t I at losing out?¡± Shu Yu pondered for a moment, ¡°Indeed. How about this, I¡¯ll give you two more candies.¡± Two candies? To think she could say that. Shu Yu said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m stingy. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that I¡¯m new to Shangshi Village and don¡¯t know much, I would definitely have found someone else. For such a small matter, let alone a big bowl of noodles with two candies, even if I only give another villager two steamed buns, I will still find out what I want. Do you believe me?¡± Of course. But still, she was being just stingy. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Third Uncle is Quite Reasonable Chapter 39: Third Uncle is Quite Reasonable Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Sanzhu pondered for a moment, then agreed. Although he was indeed craving the big bowl of egg and meat noodles, another reason was that he wanted to build a good relationship with Shu Yu. This niece of his was obviously rich. It was just a bowl of shredded meat noodles now, but there would be countless bowls of shredded meat noodles in the future, right? ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re my niece, I¡¯ll help you. Can I go in and eat my noodles now?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Shu Yu nodded. Lu Sanzhu immediately ran to the kitchen. Madam Ruan and the other two had already filled their bowls with noodles. Shu Yu had not returned, so they were all worried that she had suffered a loss at Lu Sanzhu¡¯s hands. All of them looked worriedly at the kitchen door. As soon as Lu Sanzhu entered, he wanted to reach for the larger basin. However, before he could touch it, he heard a soft cough from behind. His hand turned and landed on the big bowl. ¡°Second sister-in-law, I¡¯ll be taking this bowl of noodles then. Take your time to eat. Your portion is quite large, though, and mother and second brother are not around, If you can¡¯t finish it, come and call me. I¡¯ll help you finish the food. After all, it¡¯s such a hot day, and it¡¯s not good to leave the noodles for the next day.¡± Madam Ruan laughed dryly and watched Lu Sanzhu leave with the bowl of noodles. As soon as he left, Madam Ruan pulled Shu Yu over to sit down. She asked the latter in a low voice, ¡°Did your third uncle make things difficult for you?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s actually quite reasonable.¡± Madam Ruan was speechless. Reasonable? Was Erya talking about Lu Sanzhu? Madam Ruan wanted to ask what they had been talking about, but she was afraid that Erya would be unhappy if she meddled too much, so she didn¡¯t ask anything in the end. Shu Yu asked them to eat their noodles quickly. Seeing that Sanya and the other two had more noodles in their bowls than shredded meat, she got up and gave them a few more chopsticks of meat, ¡°Hurry up and eat. We have to finish the noodles tonight. Don¡¯t save.¡± Sanya was very happy. She lowered her head and began to slurp on the noodles. When she raised her head again, her eyes narrowed into a happy line, ¡°Second sister¡¯s noodles are delicious.¡± ¡°Eat more if it¡¯s good.¡± Shu Yu laughed. When she was cooking the noodles, she had already noticed that the Lu family did not have much food. When she had been heading back from the county, she had also asked Daniu about it. In Shangshi Village, they generally only had two meals. It was only because she was here that the old lady had asked Madam Ruan to make breakfast. Therefore, Madam Ruan and the twins probably hadn¡¯t eaten anything else other than that breakfast. It was no wonder that Sanya and Dahu were malnourished. They only ate porridge with salted vegetables every day, and they only ate two meals. It would be strange if they grew well. At the thought of this, Shu Yu gave the two of them more eggs and shredded meat. At this moment, Lu Sanzhu had already returned home with the bowl of noodles. Madam Liang and Dabao, who had long been waiting in the house, immediately came up to him. When they saw the large bowl of noodles with shredded meat, their eyes instantly lit up. Madam Liang hurriedly took a few bowls to divide the noodles. As she spoke, she sighed, ¡°I told you second sister-in-law had definitely cooked good food. As expected, she cooked the meat. Look at this thick layer of oil. Our second sister-in-law must be so happy to find her daughter that she is willing to use so much oil.¡± As she spoke, she had already divided the noodles into three bowls. She called her son, ¡°Quickly sit down and eat. The noodles smell really good. Even when we got married, we didn¡¯t even use so much oil in our food.¡± Dabao was already stuffing his face on the dining table. His chubby little face was almost buried in the bowl, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, it¡¯s too delicious. Mother, I want to eat more tomorrow. This is not enough. Go and ask Sanya and the others for more later.¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: The Remaining Money Chapter 40: The Remaining Money Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Madam Liang nodded, ¡°Okay, okay, okay. I¡¯ll go later.¡± Such a big bowl of good food was indeed too little. She hadn¡¯t expected that just as she finished speaking, Lu Sanzhu, who was slurping on his noodles, looked up, swallowed two pieces of meat, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Why? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go with Dabao this time. He¡¯s a child. Second sister-in-law can¡¯t possibly reject him.¡± Lu Sanzhu sighed, ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s just our second sister-in-law, but now there¡¯s Erya¡­¡± He clicked his tongue and shook his head, ¡°Forget it.¡± ¡°Is Erya very hard to deal with?¡± ¡°Very hard doesn¡¯t even cover it,¡± Lu Sanzhu fell silent for a moment before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m afraid second brother¡¯s family will have better days in the future.¡± He said with a sigh, ¡°We¡¯d better not offend Erya in the future, understand?¡± He pointed at the bowl of noodles in front of him, ¡°Even these noodles didn¡¯t come for free.¡± Madam Liang didn¡¯t think much of it. She knew that Erya was a martial arts practitioner, but she was an elder, and Dabao was still a child. How could the other party do anything to them? However, Third Lu was the lord of the family and they always listened to him. Since he had already said so, Madam Liang naturally couldn¡¯t do anything more. She could only unwillingly give one-third of her bowl of noodles to her son. After dinner, the sky darkened. The basin of noodles in the Lu family was finally finished. Madam Ruan and the others had a rare full meal and were so stuffed that they needed some time to digest it. This was the first time they had such an experience. Madam Ruan didn¡¯t let Shu Yu do the rest of the work. She, Dahu, and Sanya finished the chores of washing the pots and bowls, feeding the chickens, and other courtyard matters. Shu Yu returned to the house and took the opportunity to take out her money bag and start counting the money. Back when she left the Shu family, she didn¡¯t take a single cent from them. Most of the Shu family¡¯s money wasn¡¯t clean, and the Shu family¡¯s Head Master was very greedy with money. When the Shu family was exiled three months later, these accounts would be checked by the investigating officials. Although Shu Yu knew that she couldn¡¯t escape the fate of being exiled, she didn¡¯t want to be charged with another crime when the accounts were audited. She wanted to get out of the matter immediately after being exiled. The more trouble she could avoid, the better. Besides, it was just troublesome and worrying to take the Shu family¡¯s money. As such, when she left the city, she only had the sixty taels of silver that she had earned. 60 taels of silver. Lu Erbai¡¯s treatment of his leg would cost at least 15 taels. Shu Yu put aside twenty taels of silver just in case. Apart from that, a part of the rest of the money she had used to pay for her journey from the prefecture. She had used one tael and a half to rent a cart. After that, she bought meat and sweets when coming to visit, as well as today¡¯s rice, flour, oil, and other things. In addition to the cost of her meals outside, she had spent another 500 coins. Therefore, she only had 38 taels of silver left. 38 taels of silver was a huge sum to the villagers of Shangshi Village. The savings of many families here probably weren¡¯t even half of the number. However, to Shu Yu, it was still too little. After all, there were many things that she needed the money for. It seemed that the most important thing was to earn money as soon as possible. Just as she was pondering, there was a knock on the door. Shu Yu put the silver away and got up to open the door. Then, she saw Madam Ruan walk in with a needle and thread. The latter smiled and said to her, ¡°I saw that the hem of your clothes was torn. Let me help you fix it.¡± Shu Yu was stunned and looked down at her dress. The hem of her dress was indeed torn. It was accidentally torn by a wooden thorn when she had been confronting Old Lady Ruan and the girl. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: I Want to Sleep with Second Sister Chapter 41: I Want to Sleep with Second Sister Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Madam Ruan closed the door, ¡°Sit on the bed. I¡¯ll be quick. I¡¯ll fix it for you in a while.¡± Shu Yu rejected her subconsciously, ¡°No need, I can do it myself, I¡­¡± Wait, she didn¡¯t know needlework. Shu Yu covered her face. She was well-versed in literature and martial arts, and her brain worked quickly, but she did not know how to sew. In her past life, she didn¡¯t need to learn that. After all, the boss was rich, and his clothes were all custom-made. Most of his clothes wouldn¡¯t be worn a second time, so they didn¡¯t even need to be sent to the laundry, let alone to be sewn. In this life, she had maids back in the Shu family, though the original ¡°Shu Yu¡± did know how to embroider. However, after she transmigrated, she only inherited the body¡¯s memories and not her skills. As such, until now, she had never mended clothes before. Madam Ruan looked at her with a smile and lit the candle without saying anything. She put on the needle and thread, then asked Shu Yu to take off the skirt and skillfully hooked the thread. Shu Yu sat quietly at the side, watching Madam Ruan¡¯s gentle face under the candlelight, and suddenly her heart warmed. Shu Yu slowly placed her hand on her chest and quickly lowered her head. In her past life, she had lived in hatred. It had been a long time since she had felt such warmth. ¡°Alright, take a look and see if it¡¯s okay,¡± Madam Ruan¡¯s voice rang out and quickly pulled Shu Yu back to reality. She looked up and took the dress from Madam Ruan. Looking closely, she found that there was no trace of mending, ¡°This¡­¡± Madame Ruan laughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m only capable of this. The tear on the dress is not big, so there is no need to patch it up. Besides, it¡¯s at the hem of the dress. If you fold it a little and hide the thread, you won¡¯t be able to see any traces of mending.¡± When she said this, her face was glowing. It was the first time Shu Yu saw the timid and silent Madam Ruan with such an expression. She reached out to caress the dress and smiled, ¡°Thank you, I like it very much.¡± ¡°Why are you thanking your mother?¡± Madam Ruan hesitated for a moment, then reached out and patted the back of Shu Yu¡¯s hand, ¡°If you like it, I can rest assured.¡± She then put the needle and thread back into the basket, stood up, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out first. You should rest early. ¡°Alright.¡± Only then did Madam Ruan turn around and leave. However, when she reached the door, she stopped and turned her head hesitantly, ¡°Erya¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing. I¡¯m going,¡± In the end, Madam Ruan pursed her lips and left. To be honest, she wanted Erya to call her mum. Although Erya had already acknowledged them, Madam Ruan knew that she had not completely accepted them from the bottom of her heart, which was why she still had not called her mum yet. But it didn¡¯t matter, she understood. After all, Erya had been away from home for many years. She was already very satisfied to be able to get along with her like this. The door closed again. Shu Yu lay on the bed, touched the hem of her dress, and suddenly laughed. Actually, the Lu family was pretty good, right? ¡°Second sister? Second sister?¡± As soon as Shu Yu closed his eyes, soft cries came from outside. She knew it was Sanya when she heard the voice. Shu Yu looked in the direction of the window and saw the girl¡¯s plump forehead. She couldn¡¯t even see her eyes. She felt the urge to laugh. Then, she got up and opened the door. Sanya was still trying to reach the window on her tiptoes. ¡°Come,¡± Shu Yu waved at her. Sanya turned her head and saw Shu Yu standing at the door. She ran over happily. Shu Yu led her into the house and asked her, ¡°Why are you here? It¡¯s so late, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± ¡°Second sister,¡± Sanya took her hand and asked softly, ¡°I¡­ Can I sleep with you tonight?¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: The Whole Family Going to the County Together Chapter 42: The Whole Family Going to the County Together Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu looked at the tentative Sanya and laughed. Then, she carried her to the bed. The little girl immediately burrowed into the thin blanket, revealing only her eyes, and smiled joyfully. Shu Yu lay down beside her and asked her in a low voice, ¡°Did you tell mum that you were coming over?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Sanya nodded obediently. Shu Yu then relaxed. She reached out and patted the little girl gently. The little girl probably felt hot, so she slowly lifted the quilt and stared at Shu Yu. Shu Yu laughed, ¡°Are you not sleeping?¡± ¡°Second sister, I really like you.¡± Shu Yu raised an eyebrow. The little girl was embarrassed, but she still said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re my second sister. Brother is happy too.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯m also very happy that you¡¯re my younger brother and sister.¡± Sanya¡¯s eyes immediately turned into slits as she smiled. With this smile, the scar on her face became more obvious. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch it. The little girl¡¯s body suddenly stiffened, and she shrank her neck. She turned her face to the side, trying to cover the scar, ¡°Second sister, it¡¯s ugly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ugly,¡± Shu Yu comforted her, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? This scar can be removed. Tomorrow I will go to the county¡¯s medicine shop to get some herbs. Not long after, our little Sanya will become a little beauty.¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Second sister, I, I don¡¯t need to become a little beauty. Second sister is a beauty already.¡± She quietly held Shu Yu¡¯s hand and was very satisfied. After a while, she slowly raised her head and asked in a low voice, ¡°Second sister, can I go to the county with you?¡± Sanya was five years old and had never been to the county. The furthest place she had ever been to was the village where Daya had married. She wanted to go to the county with her second sister, and she also wanted to see her father and grandma. If her father knew that her second sister had been found, he would definitely be very happy. Shu Yu naturally had no objections, ¡°Sure, not only you, but we¡¯ll all go.¡± Since she had acknowledged them as family, she naturally had to go and meet the old lady and Lu Erbai officially. She reckoned Madam Ruan would be going to the county tomorrow to change shifts with the old lady as well. After all, the old lady was not young anymore. She couldn¡¯t possibly take care of the patient all the time. If she and Madam Ruan were not around, there would only be two five-year-old children left at home. It would be better to bring them along. Sanya was excited when she heard this, and her smile became brighter. She felt like she had smiled more than she had today in the past year, but she really was just too happy. The little girl closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. Shu Yu listened to her calm breathing, pulled the thin blanket up, and laid her hands flat. Only then did she realize that the little girl was still holding two candies in her hand. She was the one who had bought the candy. Shu Yu suddenly remembered what Erya and Dahu had said when they had been outside the main room. The two had said that when they found their second sister, they would give her candy so that their second sister¡¯s life would no longer be bitter after she ate the candy. Shu Yu took a deep breath and looked at Sanya¡¯s slightly upturned lips. She couldn¡¯t help but smile too. The next day, Madam Ruan came over and said that she was going to the county. She had wanted to tell Shu Yu yesterday, but there were too many things to do, so she had forgotten. Her original intention was to bring Shu Yu along. After all, finding Erya was an important matter and she, of course, had to tell her husband and mother-in-law. Thus, the two decided to set off together. After breakfast, Madam Ruan carried the basket on her back, brought Lu Erbai¡¯s clothes and her daily necessities, then left with Shu Yu, Dahu, and Sanya. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: The Most Handsome Man Chapter 43: The Most Handsome Man Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio As soon as the door was locked, Shu Yu heard Madam Liang¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°Eh, second sister-in-law, where are you going?¡± In fact, Madam Ruan and Madam Liang didn¡¯t have much contact. Rather, they even had a few conflicts. When the two met each other, they usually pretended not to know each other. Who knew that Madam Liang would take the initiative to greet her today? Was this all thanks to the bowl of noodles yesterday? Madam Ruan replied in a low voice, ¡°Erya has come home, so we have to go to the county to see mother.¡± Madam Liang secretly pouted, but she smiled on the surface, ¡°Take care then, second sister-in-law.¡± Madam Ruan nodded and was about to leave with her two younger children. When Shu Yu passed by Madam Liang, she asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I see third uncle?¡± ¡°Oh, him? He went out early in the morning. What¡¯s the matter, do you have something you need from him?¡± Madam Liang¡¯s eyes shone. Shu Yu just smiled, ¡°No, I¡¯m just asking.¡± She thought to herself that Lu Sanzhu must have gone to find out more about Old Lady Ruan. She didn¡¯t expect that he would be so enthusiastic about this kind of job given his usual laziness. However, that was good too. After all, she did want to know earlier. The four of them quickly reached the village entrance. Sanya held Shu Yu¡¯s hand tightly and looked up at her from time to time. There were a few times when she was about to fall, but Shu Yu supported her. There weren¡¯t many people at the village entrance since they had set off a little late. The villagers who wanted to go to the county usually left at dawn. Actually, if Madam Ruan was alone, she would just walk there. But now, they could only wait for the carriage at the village entrance. Usually, only one or two ox-carts or donkey carts would pass by in the wee hours of the day. However, there was a market in the county today, so there would be two more donkey carts passing by. They should be able to get on them in a while. Shu Yu looked around and saw a big rock not far away. She was about to call Madam Ruan over to sit when Dahu pulled her hand. She was stunned and looked down at him. Dahu pointed at the person who was walking over and introduced in a low voice, ¡°Second sister, look, that¡¯s Scholar Tang from our village. He¡¯s so amazing, he¡¯s only eighteen and he¡¯s already a scholar.¡± Shu Yu raised her head and looked at the man who was getting closer and closer. He was indeed very young. He was slightly thin and was carrying a bookcase on his back as he walked towards the village. From his appearance, he should have just returned from the county. As the other party got closer, Dahu was afraid that he would hear him and quickly shut his mouth. However, his eyes were full of envy and admiration as he looked at Scholar Tang. Scholar Tang passed by them without casting a glance. He quickly passed them and entered the village. As soon as his figure disappeared, Sanya also said, ¡°Second sister, isn¡¯t Scholar Tang very good-looking? He¡¯s the most handsome man I¡¯ve ever seen, and he¡¯s good at studying. He must be very smart.¡± Shu Yu was amused, ¡°This is the most handsome one? I¡¯ve seen someone even more handsome. He was a man of striking appearance and noble bearing, benign and of good conduct. Although his smile was a little fake, it doesn¡¯t hurt his delicate facial features and magnetic voice at all.¡± When others described a voice as one that could make girls pregnant just by listening to it, they were probably referring to that person. Sanya¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Second sister, you just used so many, so many idioms. You¡¯re so knowledgeable.¡± Shu Yu was speechless. Was this her main point? ¡°Second sister, what do you mean by being?¡± Benign, right? Shu Yu laughed, ¡°It¡¯s a metaphor for a broad mind and heart.¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Something Big has Happened Chapter 44: Something Big has Happened Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Sanya didn¡¯t seem to understand, while Dahu perked up his ears and pretended to listen. Shu Yu could tell at a glance that this little fellow was probably imitating the way adults spoke and did things because he was the only boy in the Lu family. He was obviously very curious, but he never said anything and always pretended to be very calm. He didn¡¯t know how to express his joy either, so he just stood by the side silently. This scene made her feel somewhat sad for the boy. Sanya, on the other hand, was more dependent on her and had become familiar with her by now. She leaned close and asked, ¡°Then, second sister, where is the handsome man you said?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Shu Yu shook his head. She had only seen that person twice a year ago, and she only knew that his surname was Meng. Back at Dongqing Temple when she and Lu Erbai had been seriously injured, they had been treated by a passing-by traveling doctor. The traveling doctor¡¯s master was this Young Master Meng who had a pleasant voice. Young Master Meng was just passing by while she was recuperating from her injuries. They had met by chance and had not seen each other since. Sanya wanted to ask more questions, but Madam Ruan was already waving her hand and said, ¡°The donkey cart is here. Get on quickly. Let¡¯s go.¡± The few of them stopped talking. There were already two people on the donkey cart. With the addition of the four of them, it became much more crowded in an instant. Fortunately, Dahu and Sanya were frail children, so it was not a problem to put them on their legs. The donkey cart rushed all the way to the county. It picked up two more people on the way and could no longer fit more. Most of the villagers went to the county market on foot. After all, they were reluctant to pay coins for each ride. Madam Ruan¡¯s heart ached, but she knew that this spending was inevitable. The few of them sat on the swaying donkey cart. Just as Sanya almost fell asleep in Shu Yu¡¯s arms, the donkey cart finally stopped. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Shu Yu carried Sanya down and held Dahu¡¯s hand. The two children looked up at the tall city wall in front of them and exclaimed in surprise, ¡°So this is the county.¡± Madam Ruan paused for a second and felt a little sad. That¡¯s right, the family¡¯s conditions were not good, so she had never brought her two children to the county before. Shu Yu held one of them in each hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll go to the clinic first.¡± The group of four followed the bustling crowd and entered the city gate. At this time, Lu Sanzhu was running back home in a hurry, sweating profusely. Madam Liang was shocked by his anxious appearance and couldn¡¯t help but scold him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you running so fast? Is there a dog chasing you?¡± Lu Sanzhu didn¡¯t care about her bad attitude. He scooped some water from the water jar and gulped it down, ¡°Something has happened. Something big has happened.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? where did you go so early in the morning?¡± ¡°Let me tell you, Erya is really amazing. She really hit the nail on the head. She¡¯s really amazing,¡± Lu Sanzhu sighed with emotion as he walked out. Madam Liang pulled him back, ¡°Explain clearly. What exactly is going on?¡± ¡°Geez, I can¡¯t explain it in a short time. I have to go find Erya first.¡± He was about to leave again, but Madam Liang quickly said, ¡°Erya is not around. Second sister-in-law and her family have all gone to the county.¡± ¡°They went to the county?¡± Lu Sanzhu frowned and sat back down. He fanned himself with a fan as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for them to come back then.¡± Then, he suddenly stood up after sitting for a while, ¡°This can¡¯t do, I can¡¯t wait.¡± He threw his fan aside and said to Madam Liang, ¡°You wait at home. I¡¯ll go to the county to find Erya. Let me tell you, if I tell her such an important piece of information, I might even get some benefits.¡± Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Reuniting as a Family Chapter 45: Reuniting as a Family Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu had no idea that Lu Sanzhu had left home in a hurry to look for her. She was leading Madam Ruan and the curious twins to the Xu family¡¯s clinic. The clinic was as empty as usual, and the staff behind the counter was yawning as he pounded medicine. It was only when he heard the sounds that he abruptly raised his head. When he saw Shu Yu, he immediately stood up and smiled, ¡°Miss Shu, you¡¯re here? Uncle Lu and the others are resting inside. You can just go in.¡± ¡°Many thanks.¡± Shu Yu and the others opened the door curtain and entered the backyard. Lu Erbai was the only one in the Xu family¡¯s clinic now, which seemed somewhat lonely. Shu Yu walked to the room at the end of the corridor. Just as she was about to enter, Madam Ruan said to her, ¡°Erya, wait outside for a while. I¡¯ll go in and explain the situation to your father and grandma so that they can be mentally prepared.¡± Shu Yu retracted her hand, which was about to knock on the door, ¡°Alright.¡± Madam Ruan took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Shu Yu only stood in the courtyard for a moment before a sudden exclamation came from inside. ¡°W-what did you say?¡± The next moment, the door was flung open and the old lady rushed out. She grabbed Shu Yu¡¯s shoulders with both hands and stared at her with a burning gaze, ¡°You, you are Erya?¡± Shu Yu nodded slowly, ¡°Yes.¡± The old lady¡¯s lips trembled slightly as if she wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. Then, as if she had thought of something, she pulled up Shu Yu¡¯s sleeve to look at her arms and the back of her neck. After doing so, she cried and laughed at the same time. After a while, she suddenly hugged her. ¡°Erya, my good Erya, you¡¯re finally back. You¡¯re finally back.¡± Having experienced Madam Ruan¡¯s hug, Shu Yu was calm. She reached out and patted the old lady¡¯s back to comfort her. Through her shoulder, she looked into the room where Lu Erbai was lying on the bed. Because he couldn¡¯t move his leg, half of his body was turned to the side as he looked at her excitedly. His eyes were red, and he opened his mouth to say something. After a long time, the old lady finally calmed down, and Shu Yu helped her into the room. Lu Erbai¡¯s gaze was earnest. There were too many things he wanted to say in his heart, but in the end, he only said two words, ¡°Good, good.¡± As long as his daughter was safe and they were reunited, nothing else was important. The old lady never let go of Shu Yu¡¯s hand, and they sat in the room and talked for a long time. When the old lady found out that Old Lady Ruan had gone to their house again yesterday with an imposter and had almost fooled Madam Ruan, she was instantly angry and began to curse, ¡°What evil idea does that old woman have again? A dog really can¡¯t change its habit of eating shit. She¡¯s always doing such immoral and corrupt things, even her conscience is black.¡± ¡°No matter what she¡¯s up to, she won¡¯t get away with it. Don¡¯t be angry,¡± Shu Yu comforted them. Just then, Doctor Xu came back and wanted to change Lu Erbai¡¯s medicine. Only then did the old lady shut her mouth and leave Madam Ruan to help in the room. The others all left the room. Shu Yu said to the old lady, ¡°I¡¯m going to the shop in front to get some medicine. You can rest here for a while.¡± ¡°Medicine? What medicine? Erya, are you not feeling well?¡± The old lady immediately became nervous. Shu Yu shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s for Sanya. I want to help her remove the scar on her face.¡± ¡°Remove her scar?¡± The old lady cried out in surprise, looking at her and then at Sanya. Sanya pursed her lips and smiled, looking very happy. Dahu couldn¡¯t be bothered to pretend to be calm anymore. He grabbed Shu Yu¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Second sister, will Sanya¡¯s face recover? Can it really recover?¡± Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Shu Yus Cunningness Chapter 46: Shu Yu¡¯s Cunningness Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Of course.¡± Dahu was so excited that he hugged Sanya, ¡°That¡¯s great! You won¡¯t have to be sad anymore.¡± Sanya moved closer to his ear and whispered, ¡°Second sister also said that she¡¯ll make me a little beauty.¡± The two of them whispered to each other. The old lady¡¯s eyes turned red as she watched, ¡°That¡¯s great. Our family is going to have many happy events. We¡¯ve found Erya, Erbai¡¯s leg can be cured, and now the scar on Sanya¡¯s face can be removed. The days ahead will be better and better.¡± Dahu raised his head, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to second sister.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Erya is our family¡¯s Lucky Star. Ever since she¡¯s back, we don¡¯t have to worry about anything anymore.¡± Shu Yu coughed lightly. She was a little embarrassed by the compliment, ¡°Then you guys wait here first. I¡¯ll go and get the medicine.¡± The old lady wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she nodded, ¡°Go on then.¡± After Shu Yu left, the old lady took out a few copper coins from her pocket and sighed slightly. The family really did not have much money left. Erya was finally back, yet she was spending her own savings. The old lady felt a little upset, but fortunately, Erya had been found. After Erbai¡¯s leg was cured, the money would eventually be earned back. Shu Yu soon came back with a bag of medicinal herbs. It just so happened that there were tools for boiling and pounding medicine in the clinic, so she directly asked Doctor Xu to borrow them to use. Doctor Xu was quite generous. After all, Shu Yu was also very frank in paying the medical fees. He waved his hand and let her use them in the backyard. However, Doctor Xu was suspicious of Shu Yu¡¯s knowledge of how to make a scar-removing ointment and even specifically asked the assistant what medicinal herbs she had prepared. Some of the herbs did have the effect of removing scars, but the effect wasn¡¯t great. He had also seen the little girl¡¯s scar. It should have been more than a year old. If it had been when her face had just been injured, it would have been easy to deal with. But now, it was hard to say. Doctor Xu was a little tempted and wanted to take a look, but this was someone else¡¯s secret recipe. He was still very professional and refused to peek. He could only inquire in the dark. Shu Yu smiled and asked, ¡°Doctor Xu, you seem to be very interested? ¡± Doctor Xu¡¯s expression was serious, ¡°You¡¯re not a doctor. I¡¯m just afraid that you¡¯ll do anything rash and disfigure your sister¡¯s entire face. She¡¯s still young, I can¡¯t let you hurt her.¡± Before Shu Yu could answer, Sanya, who was squatting on the side and wanted to help, immediately said, ¡°My sister won¡¯t harm me.¡± Shu Yu patted her head, ¡°Yes, I will definitely not let you down.¡± Doctor Xu was at a loss for words. Shu Yu smiled and said, ¡°Doctor Xu, if my ointment can really remove scars, do you want to buy this prescription?¡± Doctor Xu was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up, ¡°You want to sell the prescription to me?¡± ¡°If the price is right, I can consider it.¡± ¡°If it works, I¡¯ll buy it.¡± Shu Yu laughed, ¡°Then it¡¯s a deal?¡± Doctor Xu walked away, satisfied. He only came back to his senses when he reached the shop in front. ¡°It can¡¯t be that this girl deliberately borrowed things from my clinic and used them in front of me just to sell this prescription, right?¡± She was so cunning. Shu Yu continued to brew the medicine happily. She had thought of putting the ointment in the medicine shop for sale, but unfortunately, the Lu family did not have a strong background, nor did they have the ability to protect themselves. Especially if she were to be exiled three months later, she would not be able to keep the prescription. Just as Shu Yu was thinking about this, Lu Sanzhu¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°I¡¯m here to look for my second brother. Let me in.¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Old Lady Ruans Purpose Chapter 47: Old Lady Ruan¡¯s Purpose Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Sanzhu raised his voice, probably because he had been stopped by the shop assistant. He was quite noisy. Shu Yu recalled that he had gone out early in the morning to find out what Old Lady Ruan was up to, and now he had even come straight to the county. The results he had obtained must be very important. She told Sanya and Dahu to continue pounding the medicine, then she clapped her hands and walked to the front. The old lady had also heard the commotion. She was already standing in front of Lu Sanzhu. She raised her hand and smacked him on the head, ¡°Never mind if you come, but why are you making so much noise? Don¡¯t you know where you are? If you get your second brother into trouble and he can¡¯t recuperate well, I¡¯ll beat you to death.¡± As Lu Sanzhu dodged, he said, ¡°Mother, mother, stop hitting me. I have something important to discuss with Erya.¡± ¡°Other than blackmailing her, what other important things can you possibly have? I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t bother Erya.¡± Lu Sanzhu was extremely annoyed, ¡°How am I annoying her? It¡¯s Erya who asked me for help.¡± As he spoke, he saw Shu Yu walk out. He quickly ran behind her and hid. Shu Yu said to the old lady, ¡°Indeed, I asked third uncle to help me find out something. Grandma, I¡¯m going out for a while. The old lady was stunned. What did Erya just call her? Did she call her grandma? The old lady wiped her face and said kindly, ¡°Okay, okay, okay. Go along then.¡± Lu Sanzhu felt that his mother¡¯s attitude had changed too quickly. She was so nice to her granddaughter but always beat or scold him, the youngest son. This was simply unacceptable. He followed Shu Yu out in anger. Only then did the old lady realize that her youngest son could actually help. This son of hers was a lazy person who would definitely not sit if he could lie down. Her second son¡¯s family had been in such a difficult situation, yet he had never helped. But now, he had only just met Erya, and she could actually order him around? There must be a problem. This can¡¯t do, she had to ask Madam Ruan what had happened when she was not around. The old lady turned around and hurried back to the backyard. On the other side, Shu Yu had already led Lu Sanzhu out of the clinic and into a small alley. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the situation with the Ruan family?¡± Lu Sanzhu chuckled, ¡°Erya, it¡¯s been a long journey for me. I didn¡¯t even have lunch. I¡¯m so hungry that I can¡¯t think straight.¡± Shu Yu took a step back, ¡°There are still vegetable leaves between your teeth, and you smell like buns when you speak. You must have eaten some vegetable buns just now, right?¡± Lu Sanzhu was speechless. Damn it, why was Erya so smart? Shu Yu said, ¡°Hurry up and tell me. If the information you give is valuable, I¡¯ll treat you to meat.¡± ¡°You said it yourself.¡± Lu Sanzhu¡¯s eyes brightened. Without further ado, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t know this, but Old Lady Ruan is inhumane. She came crying to find second sister-in-law all for Dahu and Sanya.¡± ¡°What does this have to do with Dahu and Sanya?¡± Shu Yu frowned. Lu Sanzhu looked left and right, then lowered his voice, ¡°I heard that Lord Yu in town has been married for many years, but he has no children. Recently, a master went to his house and read his fortune. That master said that as long as the family adopted a pair of twins under the age of ten, a son could be conceived. Thus, Lord Yu wanted to buy a pair of twins to bring home.¡± Shu Yu abruptly raised her head and gritted her teeth, ¡°You mean, Old Lady Ruan has the idea of stealing children again?!¡± Lu Sanzhu clapped his hands, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just so?¡± C Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Shu Yu Goes to the Ruan Family Chapter 48: Shu Yu Goes to the Ruan Family Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu was simply amazed by the Ruan family¡¯s way of doing things. Never mind the fact that they had stolen and sold her more than ten years ago, but now they were going to do it again. They were really unrepentant and deserved to die. ¡°Do they really think that there¡¯s no one left in the Lu family? They¡¯re simply addicted to taking advantage of others!¡± Shu Yu turned around and left. Lu Sanzhu was shocked and quickly pulled her back, ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Don¡¯t be impulsive. I¡¯m telling you, although Lord Yu is only a rich man in the town, he is on good terms with our county magistrate. We can¡¯t afford to offend him.¡± Shu Yu raised her eyebrows, ¡°So you¡¯re saying we should go along with Lord Yu¡¯s wishes and let Old Lady Ruan sell Dahu and Sanya? ¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Lu Sanzhu immediately denied it. Then, he laughed awkwardly and said, ¡°But Lord Yu really isn¡¯t someone we can mess with. Erya, you just came back so you don¡¯t know, but our county¡¯s magistrate¡­ He¡¯s not a lenient person.¡± Shu Yu glanced at him, ¡°Alright.¡± After she said that, she returned to the medicine shop. Lu Sanzhu followed her uneasily. Then, he saw Shu Yu say to the old lady, ¡°Grandma, I have to go back for a while. But I¡¯m not done with the ointment yet, can you help me watch over it? Just stay in the county for the night. I¡¯ve already booked an extra room with Doctor Xu. Dahu and Sanya will stay here as well.¡± Since the Ruan family had such thoughts, it wouldn¡¯t be safe for Sanya and Dahu to go back. Who knew what other tricks the Ruan family had up their sleeves? The old lady was dumbfounded. She looked at Lu Sanzhu, who had followed Shu Yu in. The latter was also at a loss. He had no idea what Shu Yu was up to. This was the first time that Shu Yu had asked the old lady for help, so she naturally wouldn¡¯t reject her. She only instructed Lu Sanzhu, ¡°When you go back, go to Erbai¡¯s house and help feed the chickens.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Lu Sanzhu¡¯s face was filled with shock. Was the old lady muddleheaded? How could he possibly help his second brother with his work? However, Shu Yu, who was at the side, answered on his behalf first, ¡°He will.¡± Without waiting for Lu Sanzhu¡¯s reply, she bid farewell to Lu Erbai and left the clinic in a hurry. Lu Sanzhu looked left and right. When he saw that the old lady was about to stop him and question him, he went after Shu Yu without a second word. Shu Yu walked towards the city gates, where she could rent a carriage. She looked around and finally stopped in front of a mule carriage, then asked the coachman to take her to Ruan Family Village. Lu Sanzhu immediately climbed onto the cart as well and chuckled at Shu Yu, ¡°I¡¯ve never taken a mule carriage before. Thanks to my niece, I¡¯m able to hitch a ride home.¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t say much and just let the coachman set off. Lu Sanzhu didn¡¯t enter the carriage. He sat on the shaft with the coachman. He wanted to say a few words to Shu Yu, but when he saw her cold face, he silently shut his mouth. The mule carriage was much faster than the ox cart, especially when Shu Yu requested for it to speed up. Between Ruan Family Village and Shangshi Village were two villages, and the former was closer to the county. The carriage soon stopped at the entrance of the village. Shu Yu asked the coachman to wait for her and then strode into the village. Lu Sanzhu immediately followed her. Shu Yu turned around and asked him, ¡°where¡¯s the Ruan family?¡± ¡°Erya, are you going to get even with the Ruan family? That won¡¯t do. The sons of the Ruan family are tall and strong, and they are vicious when beating people up. You¡¯ll be at a disadvantage if you go alone. Why don¡¯t we go back to Shangshi Village first and bring your big uncle, Daniu, Erniu, and the others with us, then¡­¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± Lu Sanzhu quickly shut his mouth and pointed straight ahead, ¡°Turn there, pass by the third house, then turn left. The second house is the Ruan family.¡± Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Taking Advantage of the Lu Familys Misfortune Chapter 49: Taking Advantage of the Lu Family¡¯s Misfortune Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu strode in the direction he was pointing at. Lu Sanzhu stood rooted to the ground, stunned. He patted his mouth and followed her hurriedly. Ruan Family Village was different from Shangshi Village. Shangshi Village was a mixed village, formed by many villagers who had fled from famine in the early years. In contrast, the Ruan Family Village was different. Although the village was not big, two-thirds of the villagers had the surname Ruan and the same ancestors. It was precisely because of this that Lu Sanzhu felt extremely flustered from the moment he entered the Ruan Family Village. He kept looking left and right suspiciously, like a thief. In comparison, Shu Yu had a clear goal and soon arrived at the Ruan family¡¯s door. The door to the Ruan family¡¯s courtyard was ajar, which meant that someone was at home. Just as Shu Yu was about to push the door open, she heard Old Lady Ruan¡¯s voice from inside, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll cut some meat and send it to that unfilial daughter of mine, okay? Really, do we need to please them? I¡¯m her mother, and she¡¯s already found Erya. What¡¯s there to fuss about the past?¡± As she spoke, Old Lady Ruan had already opened the courtyard door and almost bumped into Shu Yu, who was standing at the door. She was stunned for a moment. Then, she looked up and was about to scold the other party, only to see Shu Yu¡¯s expressionless face. Old Lady Ruan was surprised. The next moment, her expression changed, and she said sarcastically, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this Erya who just came back to the Lu family? ¡± What¡¯s the matter, you finally remembered that we¡¯re also your relatives and you¡¯re here to acknowledge us?¡± When she looked down and saw that Shu Yu wasn¡¯t carrying anything, her expression became increasingly unpleasant, ¡°You¡¯re here to visit your relatives empty-handed?¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t even look at her. She simply pushed her to the side and walked in. ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± Old Lady Ruan quickly followed her in and pointed at her back while cursing, ¡°Do you have any manners? To think you don¡¯t even greet your elders. You¡¯re not mute, you know!¡± Shu Yu continued to ignore her. She looked at the courtyard in front of her. Putting aside the brick house at the side, just the area of this courtyard alone was more than twice the size of the Lu family. There was also a cart at a corner, the sound of cattle in the pen, thick quilts hanging on the bamboo pole, three or four fish in the big water tank on the left, and dried meat and mushrooms hanging under the porch. Then, she looked at the two Ruan family¡¯s sons who had just come out of the living room. It was just as Lu Sanzhu had said. They were tall and strong. Compared to the frail Lu Erbai, the two parties were like heaven and earth. At the corner of their mouths were some cake crumbs. It was as if they were afraid that others didn¡¯t know how well the Ruan family was living. They seemed to be quite happy living off the misfortune of the Lu family. The Ruan family had everything they had now because of the money they had earned from selling her. Shu Yu looked around and saw an axe in the corner. She took it and weighed it in her hand. Lu Sanzhu, who had just arrived at the entrance of the Ruan family¡¯s courtyard, was shocked. His eyes widened, and he quickly shrank his neck. She looked into the courtyard quietly, not taking another step in. What was Erya trying to do? This was also what Old Lady Ruan wanted to ask. She had been scolding Shu Yu, but the latter remained silent and did not respond. This made her feel embarrassed and angry. She angrily ran in front of Shu Yu and blocked her way. ¡°You wretched girl, I¡¯m talking to you. What are you doing here? You¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Shu Yu suddenly straightened her arm, and the axe in her hand almost hit Old Lady Ruan¡¯s nose. Old Lady Ruan¡¯s face turned pale with fear. She took a step back and fell to the ground, almost peeing her pants. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Demand Repayment with an Axe Chapter 50: Demand Repayment with an Axe Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The two sons of the Ruan family rushed forward and looked at Shu Yu with furrowed brows, ¡°You¡¯re Erya?¡± ¡°Erya, this is your grandmother. What are you doing with the axe? Even if you want to scare people, you shouldn¡¯t do it like this. Listen to uncle, put that thing down, then come in and have a cup of water. Let¡¯s have a good talk.¡± Shu Yu looked at the two sons of the Ruan family, who thought they were kind. It was said that these two were younger than Madam Ruan. As the eldest daughter, Madam Ruan had to work since she was young to take care of her parents and brothers. She had brought up these two brothers by herself. Yet, with such a sister, they could still become Old Lady Ruan¡¯s accomplices just for some money and steal the child of their sister who had just given birth. Their conscience had really been eaten by dogs! Shu Yu sneered, ¡°Why am I holding an axe? You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± With that, she raised her hand and hacked the bamboo pole next to her with the axe, knocking it to the ground. The clothes and quilts hanging on the pole fell to the ground. Shu Yu stepped on the fabrics and walked over. Before the members of the Ruan family could react, Shu Yu swung the axe again, creating a big hole in the water tank in front. The water inside flowed out with a whoosh, wetting the ground and soaking the quilts. ¡°Ah!¡± Old Madam Ruan screamed and looked in disbelief at Shu Yu, who was walking into the house, ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re crazy, you¡¯re crazy!¡± Shu Yu waved her axe as she walked. She knocked down the chair in the corner, stepped a hole in the dustpan in the corridor, and split the jar of pickles in the corner. Wherever she passed, the ground was in a mess. ¡°Erya!¡± Looking at the house that had been destroyed into a mess, the eyes of the Ruan family¡¯s sons were filled with anger as they rushed over. Shu Yu turned around and pointed the axe at them. Her eyes were cold, ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares to come here!¡± ¡°You, you crazy girl! Put down the axe, put it down!¡± Shu Yu asked, ¡°Why should I? I heard that the year I was stolen, my grandma and uncle brought people to settle the score with you, but in the end, they only beat you up. I think they were wrong. How could they just give you one beating? They should have torn down your entire house. So that you don¡¯t live off my misfortune and lead e a carefree life, raising yourself to be fat and strong like pigs, making people sick.¡± She waved her axe, ¡°It¡¯s just nice that today, I¡¯ll finish what they didn¡¯t finish more than ten years ago.¡± After Shu Yu finished speaking, she rushed into the kitchen and smashed the cupboard open with the axe. Then, she hacked at the pots and pans inside. The sounds of things being broken made people¡¯s hearts tremble. Old Lady Ruan immediately clutched her chest and sat on the ground, slapping her thighs and howling, ¡°What a sin! This girl has gone mad! Someone come and catch her! Everything in our house is going to be smashed by her!¡± The faces of the Ruan family¡¯s sons were ashen. They rushed to the woodshed to get the hoes and shoulder poles, then ran to the kitchen to beat her. Shu Yu¡¯s movements were swift. In just a short while, not only did she smash all the pots, bowls, ladles, and wine jars, but she also split the dining table into two. After being done in the kitchen, she walked out and saw the Ruan family¡¯s sons running over angrily. Lu Sanzhu, who was standing at the entrance of the courtyard, gasped, ¡°Be careful!¡± The next moment, he watched as Shu Yu grabbed the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son¡¯s shoulder pole with one hand and split it into two with the axe in her other hand. Then, she turned to the side and dodged the hoe of the Ruan family¡¯s second son. Following this, she kicked him in the knee and sent him to the ground. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Help! Chapter 51: Help! Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The Ruan family¡¯s eldest son threw away the broken shoulder pole and wanted to take the opportunity to pounce on Shu Yu. However, Shu Yu¡¯s axe suddenly swept across and landed on his neck. The Ruan family¡¯s eldest son¡¯s breathing stopped, and his eyes widened in horror. Shu Yu said, ¡°Try moving again.¡± ¡°You, what do you want to do? I¡¯m your uncle, do you still dare to kill me?¡± Shu Yu stepped on the Ruan family¡¯s second son¡¯s back as he tried to stand up and pinned him on the ground. She looked into the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son¡¯s frightened eyes, which were pretending to be calm, and laughed, ¡°I¡¯m just joking. I¡¯m a good person. Of course, I won¡¯t kill anyone. However, it¡¯s not a problem for me to make you half-paralyzed and lie in bed for the rest of your life with just a little injury.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Old Lady Ruan stopped crying. Seeing her two sons being held down by Shu Yu alone, she couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid. In particular, the axe in Shu Yu¡¯s hand was very close to the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son¡¯s neck. With just a slight movement, his head would be separated from his neck. With that, Old Lady Ruan got up from the ground in a hurry and rushed to the courtyard door, shouting, ¡°Someone, come! Murderer! There¡¯s a murderer! Help!¡± Lu Sanzhu had been blocking the entrance of the courtyard, but when Old Lady Ruan ran into him, he almost fell on his butt. It was mainly because his legs felt like jelly. The murderous aura from Shu Yu just now was really too frightening. By the time he steadied himself, many had heard the commotion and came over. Lu Sanzhu quickly took two steps back and hid behind the door. The villagers of the Ruan Family Village followed Old Lady Ruan into the house and saw the scene in the courtyard. They were shocked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Then, they saw the Ruan family¡¯s two sons. One was under Shu Yu¡¯s foot and the other was being held at knifepoint. They gasped. ¡°Who are you? What do you want to do?¡± Shu Yu looked up and glanced at the villagers in the lead. ¡°Who am I? My father, Lu Erbai, is the son-in-law of the Ruan family. My mother is the eldest daughter of the Ruan family, and I am the second daughter of the Lu family. With this, you guys should know who I am, right?¡± The villagers who had been walking towards her with vicious looks were all stunned. This¡­ So this was the rumored Erya that had been found. Shu Yu laughed coldly, ¡°I think all of you should know what the Ruan family has done to me. If I come to take revenge now, it¡¯s our family¡¯s matter. It¡¯s a personal grudge. Do you want to interfere?¡± The villagers looked at each other. This was indeed a family matter. After all, the second daughter of the Lu family was Old Lady Ruan¡¯s granddaughter. However, there was no reason for a granddaughter to smash her maternal grandmother¡¯s house to this extent and even beat her uncle so badly that they couldn¡¯t move. Someone tried to persuade her, ¡°Lu family¡¯s daughter, even if Old Lady Ruan did do something wrong, aren¡¯t you back now? You look like you¡¯re doing quite well. She¡¯s your grandma, after all, and your elders. You shouldn¡¯t have hit your elders.¡± ¡°Yes, hurry up and let go. Apologize to your uncles. They won¡¯t blame you.¡± Shu Yu found it ridiculous, ¡°Me? Apologize to them? I¡¯m already being merciful by not killing them. Either you guys stay out of it, or come and try my axe.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± Some people were dissatisfied with her hostility and wanted to go forward, but they were fearful of the axe in her hand. The villagers in the courtyard muttered among themselves. Seeing that no one was doing anything, Old Lady Ruan began to slap her thigh and howl again, ¡°Hurry up and save my son. We¡¯re all from the Ruan Family Village. How can we allow a person with a different surname to cause trouble in our village? if word gets out, won¡¯t the Ruan family lose face?¡± The people of the Ruan Family Village felt that what Old Lady Ruan said made sense. Even though they didn¡¯t like her, they couldn¡¯t just ignore an outsider who entered the village and wreaked havoc. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Personal Grudges Chapter 52: Personal Grudges Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The villagers in the courtyard walked towards Shu Yu, ¡°Lu family¡¯s daughter, put down the axe quickly. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be polite to you.¡± ¡°Try me then,¡± Shu Yu suddenly retracted his axe and kicked the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son out. He crashed into the villagers who were walking over, and they instantly fell into a pile and couldn¡¯t get up. Following this, Shu Yu went to the central room and started to hack at things randomly with the axe. Old Lady Ruan¡¯s heart ached, ¡°Stop her! Who can stop her?¡± ¡°The village chief is here! Quick, the village chief is here!¡± A villager shouted. Shu Yu had already destroyed the central room. Just as she was about to enter the house, the village chief of the Ruan Family Village hurried over. Shu Yu¡¯s hand paused. She placed the axe on her shoulder and walked out slowly. Village Chief Ruan looked at the chaotic scene and gasped. He glared at Shu Yu and said angrily, ¡°What are you doing? Do you really think that the Ruan Family Village has no one and you can come here and act so lawlessly?¡± Someone whispered into Village Chief Ruan¡¯s ear, ¡°Village chief, this girl is the daughter of Shangshi Village¡¯s Lu Erbai who was sold when she was young. She said she¡¯s here for revenge.¡± As he spoke, he nudged his mouth at Old Lady Ruan, meaning that she was the one who did the deed. Village Chief Ruan was stunned and his anger subsided a little. Then, he glared at Old Lady Ruan. It was all her fault. Old Lady Ruan hurriedly helped her two sons up. After the Ruan family¡¯s second son got up, he saw that the courtyard was full of his relatives. Without a word, he picked up the hoe on the ground and swung it at Shu Yu¡¯s face. ¡°Wretched girl, you dare to hit me? I¡¯ll beat you to death, you unfilial thing!¡± The villagers in the courtyard watched helplessly as the hoe struck down aggressively, and all of them gasped. Shu Yu only moved half a step to the side, ¡°It seems you didn¡¯t learn your lesson.¡± She then took a few steps forward and appeared behind the Ruan family¡¯s second son. Following this, she grabbed the handle of the axe and slammed it against his back. ¡°Ah!¡± The Ruan family¡¯s second son screamed and slammed heavily on the steps. One of his teeth was knocked out and his mouth was full of blood. The people in the courtyard could not help but feel a toothache. Village Chief Ruan frowned and pushed the two villagers beside him as he scolded, ¡°What are you waiting for? Help him up.¡± ¡°Oh, oh.¡± The two villagers looked at Shu Yu fearfully. Her actions just now had been clean and neat. She was clearly an expert. The Ruan family¡¯s second son was helped to the side while wailing like a ghost. This scene made the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son, who had wanted to go forward, take two steps back and not dare to move. Upon seeing this, Old Lady Ruan could only complain to the village chief, ¡°Third uncle, you have to stand up for us. Look at this wretched girl, what has she done to our family? She doesn¡¯t put the Ruan Family Village in her eyes at all. She came as she wanted to and hit people whenever she wants. I¡¯m even her grandmother! If it was someone else, wouldn¡¯t she¡­¡± Village Chief Ruan had a headache, ¡°Alright, Ah Wang¡¯s wife, calm down first. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Two women came over and helped Old Lady Ruan to the side. Village Chief Ruan then turned to look at Shu Yu, his face gloomy, ¡°Erya of the Lu family, I know you¡¯re angry, but you shouldn¡¯t have done all this. Look at what you¡¯ve done to the Ruan family. The Ruan Family Village won¡¯t let this matter go just like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before that I¡¯m only here for revenge. This is a personal grudge. But from what I¡¯ve heard, village chief, are you trying to escalate this to a conflict between the villages?¡± Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Make it so that the Girls of Ruan Family Village be Unable to Marry Chapter 53: Make it so that the Girls of Ruan Family Village be Unable to Marry Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Village Chief Ruan didn¡¯t like Shu Yu¡¯s attitude and became even more displeased, ¡°What revenge? Ah Wang¡¯s wife did steal you and sold you off that year. She was indeed in the wrong. However, quite a few people from the Lu family also came and beat up Ah Wang¡¯s wife. She almost lost her life!¡± He snorted coldly, ¡°The conflict between their family and the Lu family was already settled back then. I¡¯ve also promised the Lu family that the Ruan Family Village will properly restrain Ah Wang¡¯s wife. Yet you¡¯re here now, so can we take it that you¡¯re the one who started it? You¡¯ve caused so much damage to the Ruan family, so of course, we¡¯ll have to go to your Lu family too.¡± Shu Yu nodded, ¡°You¡¯re words are good and you¡¯re right. So, Village Chief Ruan, did you really restrain Old Lady Ruan?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then how dare they have the audacity to have designs on my younger brother and sister, and plan to sell them?¡± Shu Yu¡¯s face was cold as she questioned coldly. ¡°What?¡± Village Chief Ruan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He felt as if he was hallucinating. The other people from the Ruan Family Village were also shocked. No, no way, right? Had Old Lady Ruan learned nothing and still wanted to sell her grandchildren? Shu Yu sneered, ¡°So this is the result of Village Chief Ruan¡¯s restraint? I¡¯m sure everyone here knows how difficult my family has been in the past years, right? Yet, Old Lady Ruan is still unwilling to let us go. She really is thinking of forcing her daughter and son-in-law to death, huh? Village chief, your restraint is quite effective, so effective that they¡¯ve gotten worse! I¡¯d like to doubt whether you¡¯re restraining them or supporting them.¡± She took a few steps forward and continued, ¡°Since they did such a thing, it¡¯s not too much for me to come here and take revenge, right? If Village Chief Ruan still wants to side with them, then fine, I¡¯ll go and publicize it. I¡¯ll tell everyone that not only do the girls from the Ruan Family Village have to work like a dog back in their own family, but after they give birth at their in-laws¡¯, their children will be sold by the maternal family to supplement the family¡¯s income. It¡¯s useless even if the in-laws make a fuss. After all, the Ruan Family Village just stood by and sided with their own without distinguishing right from wrong, right? At that time, I¡¯d like to see which village would still dare to marry a girl from your Ruan Family Village.¡± Village Chief Ruan gasped, ¡°That can¡¯t do.¡± The other people from the Ruan Family Village were also anxious. ¡°We can tell right from wrong. We just don¡¯t know about Ah Wang¡¯s wife¡¯s matters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Second daughter of the Lu family, this has nothing to do with us.¡± ¡°Village chief, Ah Wang¡¯s wife is indeed immoral. No matter how heartless she is, she shouldn¡¯t do something like sell her grandson and granddaughter, right?¡± Old Lady Ruan was flustered. She didn¡¯t understand how Shu Yu knew that she had designs on Dahu and Sanya. She clearly didn¡¯t reveal any information. Seeing that the villagers were starting to condemn her, she quickly waved her hands and denied, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do it. This d*mn girl is accusing me!¡± Village Chief Ruan felt that the situation was serious. He knew Old Lady Ruan¡¯s personality, so he felt that Shu Yu¡¯s words were more credible. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be so angry. She had clearly been provoked. However, he was the village chief of the Ruan Family Village, so he naturally stood on Old Lady Ruan¡¯s side. He looked at Shu Yu, ¡°What evidence do you have for saying this?¡± ¡°Of course I have evidence.¡± Old Lady Ruan was shocked. What evidence could she have? She didn¡¯t even mention this to the younger generation in her family. Village Chief Ruan¡¯s expression also became serious. His sharp eyes looked at Old Lady Ruan and gradually became cold. The people in the courtyard looked at Shu Yu curiously. They saw her take out a paper bag from behind her. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Can I Leave Now? Chapter 54: Can I Leave Now? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu waved the paper bag, ¡°This is the pastry from Liu Dessert Shop in town. I found it in the central room just now. The buyer gave this to Old Lady Ruan so that she can lure my brother and sister. However, Old Lady Ruan is obviously reluctant to give such good food to my brother and sister, so the eldest and second sons of the Ruan family didn¡¯t work during the day and instead hid in the house to eat.¡± This was evidence that Lu Sanzhu had accidentally heard. The two daughters-in-law of the Ruan family, who had just returned from the fields, looked at their husbands in shock. Never mind if they didn¡¯t share the food with them, but they even hid it from their children? The faces of the two men flushed as they shouted, ¡°Nonsense! When did we eat pastries? You¡¯re the one who brought these desserts from Liuji Dessert Shop to frame us!¡± ¡°Before you speak, wipe the crumbs off the corner of your mouth.¡± As soon as Shu Yu finished speaking, everyone¡¯s eyes fell on the corners of the two men¡¯s mouths. The two subconsciously raised their sleeves to wipe their mouths. What else was there to say? The men from the Ruan family were obviously feeling guilty. Shu Yu threw the paper bag in front of Old Lady Ruan. Seeing that the latter was still trying to argue, she sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t even think of saying that you bought it yourself. I heard that Liu Dessert Shop always record the production dates on their desserts, and the date on the paper is today. Did you go to town today? Or did someone else buy it for you? If so, who is that person?¡± Old Lady Ruan¡¯s eyes widened, and she was speechless. ¡°I¡­ That was ¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Village Chief Ruan finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He glared at Old Lady Ruan and then looked at the Ruan family¡¯s sons. His voice was deep, ¡°The two of you have hands and feet, and your family is doing well. In the past, your eldest sister had always been protective of you, but this is how you treat her? She¡¯s your sister. Is it not enough that you have already sold one of her daughters in the past? Do you really want to force them to their deaths? Do you even have a heart? Ah?¡± The Ruan family¡¯s sons were unwilling to admit their mistakes. Since they were young, they had been taught by Old Lady Ruan that it was only natural for their sister to suffer for them, even if the latter was married. Although selling Erya last time was indeed not quite good, they were giving the twins to the Yu family in town this time. The Yu family was rich and would take the twins as their children. The twins were going there to enjoy life and even reduce the burden on the Lu family. What was there to be unhappy about? However, they couldn¡¯t say that the buyer was the Yu family since they didn¡¯t get it done, so they just pursed their lips and remained silent. Shu Yu took a few steps forward, ¡°Can I go now?¡± Village Chief Ruan looked at the messy ground and opened his mouth, wanting to ask for compensation. However, when he thought of Shu Yu¡¯s threat and the gazes of the other villagers, he could only nod his head slightly. His head was throbbing as he said, ¡°You can leave. I will punish them, so I hope that you will not go out and spread nonsense and ruin the reputation of our Ruan Family Village. Otherwise, the villagers of the Ruan Family Village will not spare you.¡± Shu Yu smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve said from the start that this is a personal grudge. You guys wanted to escalate it to a conflict between the villages. As long as you can keep their family in check and not cause trouble for us, I won¡¯t say anything.¡± After she finished speaking, she swaggered toward the courtyard gate. Old Lady Ruan looked left and right. Seeing that none of the villagers came forward to stop Shu Yu, she immediately shouted, ¡°I want to report you to the authorities. You trespassed my property! I want to report you to the authorities!¡± ¡°Go if you want,¡± The village chief himself was in a terrible fix. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Going to Town Chapter 55: Going to Town Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio When Shu Yu was in the county this morning, she heard that an official from above had come to Dongan Prefecture. Although the Shu family would only be exiled after three months, the investigation should have begun now. As the magistrate of Dongan Prefecture, Head Master Shu was already busy dealing with the officials from the capital. As for the county magistrate of Jiangyuan County, who followed the Shu family¡¯s lead, his following days would not be easy either. He was busy covering up evidence of his crimes, so how could he care about such a trivial matter? This was also the reason why Shu Yu dared to attack the Ruan family in such a high-profile manner. She had to teach the Ruan family a lesson and let everyone see that the Lu family could no longer be easily bullied. Besides, how could a person like Old Lady Ruan dare to report this to the officials? She was only good at verbal threats. When Shu Yu passed by Old Lady Ruan, she suddenly squatted and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your hard days and my revenge are not over yet.¡± She had only damaged a little of the Ruan family¡¯s property. How could this be considered revenge? Old Lady Ruan¡¯s expression changed slightly as she watched Shu Yu walk out of her house. She suddenly stood up, pointed at Shu Yu¡¯s back, and shouted, ¡°You unfilial b*tch, a shrew like you will never be able to get married in your life! No one will marry you!¡± Shu Yu pretended not to hear her. She had never thought of getting married, not in her previous life, and neither in this life. She didn¡¯t even stumble while Old Lady Ruan continued scolding, ¡°Sanya and Dahu will all be implicated by you and be single for the rest of their lives!¡± Shu Yu sneered. Even the family members of Old Lady Ruan could get married, no? Dahu and Sanya were well-behaved and sensible. Their lives would only be peaceful and beautiful. Old Lady Ruan¡¯s mouth was already dry from the incessant scolding, but the other party was still unmoved, and the villagers were looking at her. Old Lady Ruan finally stopped. This couldn¡¯t do. Since the village chief wouldn¡¯t help her, she had to think of another way. That¡¯s right, she could go to the Yu family. The Yu family was rich and powerful, so they could take care of the Lu family, right? However, what she didn¡¯t know was that someone was one step ahead of her. As soon as Shu Yu walked out of the courtyard, Lu Sanzhu followed her with a flattering smile on his face. He was clearly an elder, but at this moment, he was following behind like a lackey. Shu Yu glanced at him, and the latter jumped. He quickly explained, ¡± I, I did tell you to be careful. I didn¡¯t run in to help you because I saw that you could deal with those people alone. I didn¡¯t want to drag you down.¡± Shu Yu smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. When they reached the village entrance, Shu Yu got on the mule carriage. Lu Sanzhu hesitated for a moment and tentatively placed his hand on the shaft of the carriage. Seeing that Shu Yu did not make a sound, he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Only then did he climb up the carriage. Compared to the carefreeness he had felt when on the way here, Lu Sanzhu was now extremely cautious and obedient. He curled up at the edge of the carriage¡¯s shaft, not even daring to speak to the coachman. Then, Shu Yu instructed the coachman, ¡°Go to Wenlan Town.¡± Lu Sanzhu was shocked. He turned around and exclaimed through the curtain, ¡°You¡¯re going to town? Are you¡­ Are you going to look for the¡­¡± He glanced at the coachman beside him and swallowed the words ¡°Yu family¡±. Then, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Erya, what exactly do you want to do?¡± He had already told her that Lord Yu and the county magistrate were friends. Erya could break into the Ruan family and smash their house, but she couldn¡¯t possibly enter the Yu residence. Even if she was great in martial arts, the Yu family had many fighters. She would definitely be caught. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Cater to Their Likes Chapter 56: Cater to Their Likes Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Sanzhu¡¯s eyes moved. What if she implicated him and the entire Lu family? Shu Yu leaned against the door of the carriage with her eyes closed, ¡°If you¡¯re scared, go back now and help feed the chicken.¡± Lu Sanzhu was speechless. He was sullen but after witnessing Erya¡¯s martial arts, he did not dare to refute her words. In the end, Lu Sanzhu did not get off the carriage. Although he was extremely nervous, he was even more curious. As such, when the carriage passed by the entrance of Shangshi Village, he did not even look in the direction of his house. The carriage arrived at Wenlan Town, and Shu Yu let the mule carriage go back. Shu Yu touched her chin as she looked at the back view of the carriage driving away. It was more convenient to have a carriage herself. Sigh. She had to make money. As Shu Yu walked into the town, she turned to ask Lu Sanzhu, ¡°Where¡¯s the Yu family?¡± Lu Sanzhu opened his mouth but didn¡¯t want to say it. It was only when Shu Yu¡¯s impatient expression appeared that he swiftly pointed ahead, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± The Yu family was indeed wealthy in town. The place they lived in was the best in town. According to Lu Sanzhu, the Yu family had houses in both the county and the prefecture. However, because their ancestral home was in Wenlan Town, they had never moved. Shu Yu followed Lu Sanzhu and stood in front of the Yu family¡¯s main door. As expected, the place had been renovated to look very luxurious. Shu Yu looked around and saw a tea stall not far away. She walked over and sat down, asking the owner to serve a pot of tea. Seeing that she didn¡¯t barge in directly, Lu Sanzhu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He hurriedly sat down opposite her and asked, ¡°Erya, how¡­ How are you going to deal with the Yu family? ¡± ¡°Cater to their likes, I suppose,¡± Shu Yu thought for a while and said very frankly. Lu Sanzhu frowned. He didn¡¯t understand. Wasn¡¯t catering to their likes currying favor with them? Shu Yu sipped her tea as she looked at the main entrance of the Yu family¡¯s residence. Few people came out of the Yu family¡¯s main door. The servants who came in and out basically went through the small gate. Therefore, even after staring at the entrance for a long time, she didn¡¯t gain much. At this point, Lu Sanzhu was dozing off. After another half an hour, there was finally some movement at the door. A wealthily-dressed woman walked out of the door. Shu Yu narrowed her eyes, ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Lu Sanzhu jerked up and looked around, ¡°Who?¡± Shu Yu pointed at the main entrance of the Lu family¡¯s house. Lu Sanzhu looked at the lady and said, ¡± that¡¯s Madame Yu, Lord Yu¡¯s wife.¡± Shu Yu looked up at the sky, ¡°It¡¯s already so late. Why is Madame Yu out at this time?¡± Seeing that Madame Yu had gotten into a palanquin that was parked at the door, Shu Yu immediately put down a few copper coins and stood up to follow her. Lu Sanzhu hurriedly caught up with her. The palanquin traveled slowly along the street for a while before finally stopping in front of a small courtyard. Madame Yu asked a maid to knock on the door, and a man dressed like a Daoist priest walked out. Shu Yu narrowed her eyes. Could this be the fortune-teller who had read Lord Yu¡¯s fortune and suggested that he adopt twins? What should she do? She felt like rolling up her sleeves and rushing in to beat the other party up. Shu Yu watched as Madame Yu walked into the courtyard and the palanquin was temporarily lifted away from the alley. Now, there were only Madame Yu, her maidservant, and the fortune-teller in the courtyard. Shu Yu looked left and right, found the easiest position to climb up the wall, stomped hard, and jumped onto the wall while no one was around. Lu Sanzhu was speechless. Hadn¡¯t his good niece forgotten something? What about him? Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Already with Child Chapter 57: Already with Child Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu stood on the wall and saw that there was no one in the courtyard. She immediately landed lightly in the courtyard. There was some movement from the central room inside. Shu Yu followed the sound and saw the fortune-teller and Madame Yu sitting there talking. The maidservant was serving tea. After talking for a short while, Madame Yu had the maidservant stand guard in the courtyard. When Shu Yu saw the maidservant come out, she hurriedly took a few steps back and hid in a corner. The maidservant moved a stool over and sat by the courtyard door. Shu Yu frowned. If she wanted to eavesdrop outside the central room again, she would definitely be seen by this maidservant. What should she do? Just as she was thinking about whether she should go around to the back to take a look, she heard the fortune-teller and Madame Yu leave the central room and enter the left wing. Outside the window of the wing room was where Shu Yu was hiding. Shu Yu was amused. She immediately opened the window a crack and squinted her eyes to look inside. She hadn¡¯t expected the scene that entered her eyes to make her want to poke her eyes. Madame Yu and the fortune-teller hugged and kissed each other as soon as they entered the room. They were so lustful that they looked like a couple who had only reunited after a long time. Only then did Shu Yu see the fortune-teller¡¯s appearance clearly. He was indeed well-groomed. If one disregarded his wide and gray Daoist robe, he was quite good-looking. No wonder Madame Yu left the manor in the evening for a tryst. Shu Yu sighed inwardly for a moment, and the two people in the room also separated. Madame Yu¡¯s breathing was a little unstable as she sat at the side. She glared at the fortune-teller shyly and said, ¡°Look at how impatient you are. You have to control yourself. I¡¯m still carrying our child in my stomach.¡± Shu Yu looked up abruptly. A child? So that¡¯s how it is. She had found it strange before. The fortune-teller said that as long as Lord Yu adopted a pair of twins, he would be able to get a child. But if he did adopt the twins, what would the fortune-teller do if Madame Yu still didn¡¯t get pregnant? Wouldn¡¯t the fortune-teller be swallowed alive by Lord Yu then? So it turned out that Madame Yu was already with child, and it was even the fortune-teller¡¯s seed. Next, they just had to find a pair of twins to prove that the fortune-teller was really capable. Shu Yu laughed coldly to herself. The fortune-teller smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this child is the foundation of our future. I won¡¯t let anything happen to him.¡± As he spoke, he touched Madame Yu¡¯s belly and asked, ¡°The child is almost a month old. How is the adoption of the twins going?¡± ¡°I came here to talk to you about this. Didn¡¯t I meet an old woman before who said that her daughter has a boy-girl twin and that she would send them over to us in two days? I¡¯ve sent someone to look for her this morning. In the end, the old woman said that there was an accident and that we have to wait for two more days. She¡¯s too unreliable. God knows if the two children can be sent here smoothly in two days. How about you? Did you find the twins who escaped?¡± The fortune-teller¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°No. If the two children hadn¡¯t escaped, our plan could have been implemented long ago and we wouldn¡¯t have had to find another pair of twins. After Lord Yu believes that I am truly capable, he will only value me more and more in the future. With the two of us working together from the inside, the entire Yu family will be ours. We¡¯ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. The twins in the hands of the old woman you mentioned must be sent over without any mishaps.¡± Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Hurry Up and Go Back to Feed the Chickens Chapter 58: Hurry Up and Go Back to Feed the Chickens Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Madame Yu nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The old woman said that the twins are living a poor life at home. They don¡¯t even have enough to eat. As long as they come to the Yu family, they will enjoy life. Even if it¡¯s for the good of the two children, their family should agree.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Either way, this matter has to be settled in the next few days. Any later and your stomach will be exposed.¡± ¡°The situation is already grim now. I had morning sickness for a while this morning and was almost discovered by the Lord. Fortunately, my maidservant was smart and said that I had eaten too much hawthorn. However, if I vomit again tomorrow, the Lord will probably get another doctor for me. Do help me think of a way.¡± The fortune-teller frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°The morning sickness is unpreventable and you can¡¯t take any medicine now either. How about this, I¡¯ll prepare some talismans for you. Tomorrow, ask your maidservant to come and get them. When Lord Yu asks, just say that I gave you the talismans and they have the effect of exorcism. As long as you adopt twins and drive out all the evil spirits around you, a child will reincarnate in your house. It¡¯s just that this talisman will make you uncomfortable and make you dizzy and vomit, but it¡¯s not serious. Lord Yu won¡¯t say anything.¡± Madame Yu¡¯s eyes lit up and she smiled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that. However, there¡¯s no need for the maidservant to come. I¡¯ll come tomorrow morning.¡± The fortune-teller smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you then.¡± The two of them talked for a while more. Seeing that it was getting late, Madame Yu left the small courtyard, satisfied. After she left, Shu Yu took advantage of the fortune-teller¡¯s inattention and jumped over the wall again. Outside the door, Lu Sanzhu had been waiting so long that he almost went bald. He was so anxious that he was pacing around in circles. When he saw that Shu Yu had finally come out, he heaved a sigh of relief. He hurriedly went up to her and said, ¡°You¡¯re finally out. When Madame Yu came out just now, I was so scared that my soul almost left my body.¡± ¡°Look at you,¡± Shu Yu patted the hem of her dress, and the expression on her face was more relaxed. Lu Sanzhu didn¡¯t dare to retort. He only asked, ¡°What are we going to do next? ¡± ¡°We?¡± Shu Yu said strangely, ¡°It¡¯s already so late. Why aren¡¯t you going back? Aren¡¯t you worried that your wife and children are looking for you?¡± Wenlan Town didn¡¯t have any city walls, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about the city gates closing. Even if it was late, it wouldn¡¯t take long to get back home. Lu Sanzhu was stunned. He did have to home. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home first then. Erya, don¡¯t be impulsive, Lord Yu is not someone we can offend. Let¡¯s go back and discuss this with someone first.¡± Shu Yu stopped in her tracks, ¡°Who¡¯s us? I¡¯m asking you to go back. I still have things to do here. I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.¡± ¡°You have things to do?¡± Lu Sanzhu¡¯s voice became shrill. After being glared at by Shu Yu, he quickly covered his mouth and looked left and right. Then, he asked in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re not really planning to go to the Yu residence, are you?¡± ¡°Remember to feed my family¡¯s chickens when you get back.¡± At a time like this, she only thought of her chickens. He would go back and eat those two chickens! Lu Sanzhu thought resentfully. He wanted to persuade Shu Yu again, but when he looked up, she was already gone. He was shocked, ¡°Erya, Erya?¡± He looked around, but she was nowhere to be found. Lu Sanzhu had no choice. Seeing that the sky was about to turn dark, he could only return to Shangshi Village first. On the other side, Shu Yu had already left the alley. While the shops around were still open, she went to buy some things she needed. Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: This is Catering to Anothers Likes Chapter 59: This is Catering to Another¡¯s Likes Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio After everything was ready, Shu Yu booked a room in a rather clean inn in town and stayed the night. The next morning, she changed into a Daoist nun¡¯s robe in her room and put on some makeup to make her look older. With that, her original appearance could not be seen at all. She combed all her hair into a bun and looked like a celestial. She looked more like a master than the fortune-teller yesterday. Shu Yu was quite satisfied with her appearance. She carried a cloth bag and went out. She went to the stall outside the Yu family¡¯s residence to have breakfast, looking at the entrance as she ate. As expected, not long after, she saw Lord Yu¡¯s figure coming out. Shu Yu had asked around and found out that Lord Yu would usually go to his shops in the morning to check on the situation. Looking at the direction he left in, it was indeed so. Not long after Lord Yu left, Madame Yu also left in a palanquin. Only then did Shu Yu put down a few copper coins and quickly walked towards Lord Yu¡¯s shop. Lord Yu happened to be coming out of one of the shops. Shu Yu lowered her head and walked straight toward him, discreetly avoiding Lord Yu¡¯s attendants and successfully bumping into him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have eyes?¡± Lord Yu staggered back two steps and raised his head in anger. Shu Yu immediately lowered her eyes and stood still. She said apologetically, ¡°Please forgive me, I was in a hurry. It¡¯s just that I saw a baleful aura here and was worried that something would happen, so I bumped into you.¡± Lord Yu was superstitious, so he was much kinder to monks and nuns. He had calmed down by now, ¡°I was a little rash with my words too. I hope you won¡¯t find fault with me.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lord Yu suddenly thought of something and frowned, ¡°You just said that you saw a baleful aura here?¡± He turned his head and looked behind him. His shop was right behind him. Didn¡¯t that mean that something was going to happen to his shop? Shu Yu raised her head and feigned surprise, ¡°The baleful aura is coming from you¡± Lord Yu suddenly became nervous, ¡°Why do you say that? ¡± ¡°My Lord, did you encounter any problems recently? Why is your glabella dark and contaminated by karma? You¡¯re about to face a great disaster¡­¡± She suddenly shut her mouth, sighed, and shook her head. When Lord Yu first heard the nun say that his glabella was dark, he was not too happy. He had clearly had some happy events recently and was in high spirits. Master Geng said that he was about to have a child, so how could there be a big disaster? Yet, seeing Shu Yu sigh halfway through her sentence and was about to leave, his heart skipped a beat and he stopped her immediately, ¡°Why did you stop halfway through your sentence?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only passing by Wenlan Town and really should be a busybody. I originally thought that this shop was filled with a baleful aura and was worried that it would hurt the innocent, so I rushed over. Now that I¡¯ve found out that the source of the baleful aura is My Lord, and it¡¯s also because of karma, it would be against heaven¡¯s will for me to interfere. Please take care. I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± Shu Yu turned around and left. She didn¡¯t have the attitude of a charlatan chasing after a rich person. She was very frank. With that, Lord Yu became even more nervous and believed her. He quickly ordered two attendants to stop her, ¡°Please wait.¡± Shu Yu closed her eyes slightly, looking as if she had seen through the mortal world, but the corners of her mouth secretly curled up. This¡­ was catering to another¡¯s likes. Wasn¡¯t Lord Yu superstitious and particularly believed in such things? Let¡¯s see who¡¯s better, her or that fortune-teller, Master Geng. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Shu Yus Great Deception Chapter 60: Shu Yu¡¯s Great Deception Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu sighed and looked up at Lord Yu, who was standing before her. She said, ¡°My Lord, please don¡¯t make things difficult for me. The secrets of heaven must not be revealed, or else I will also suffer a backlash. Before I left, my master had repeatedly warned me not to go against heaven¡¯s will. Please give way, I¡¯m leaving. Just take me as a charlatan who can¡¯t be trusted.¡± The more she said this, the more it was impossible for Lord Yu to let her go. Even if Shu Yu really was a charlatan, as long as what she said was not true, Lord Yu had many ways to deal with her. However, if what she said was true, wouldn¡¯t he have missed a chance to save himself by letting her go? Lord Yu¡¯s attitude became respectful, ¡°As the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a Buddhist pagoda. Since I¡¯ve met you, it means that this is the will of the heavens. How can you say that it¡¯s against the will of the heavens?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Shu Yu frowned, still looking troubled. ¡°Please explain where this baleful aura came from and what is the karma that you have mentioned.¡± Shu Yu finally sighed heavily, ¡°Very well.¡± She looked left and right, then at the Yu family shop behind her, ¡°Please write a word. I will test it.¡± Lord Yu naturally didn¡¯t have any objections. After entering the shop, he took a pen and paper and wrote a word. Shu Yu looked up, ¡°Child? It¡¯s really ominous.¡± He really wanted a child, huh? ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Shu Yu pointed at the word, ¡°Please take a look. On the left is the word ¡°zi¡±, which means that the karma of this baleful aura is related to your offspring. On the right is ¡°hai¡±, the last of the 12 Earthly Branches. It is of the Qian hexagram, six Yin. At this time, the earth is snow-white and not warm. Metal would give off cold air here, which is ominous. In addition, the word ¡°hai¡± will mean ¡°shock¡± when combined with ¡°ma¡±. Appalling and stormy, all not optimistic. In my opinion, this baleful aura is also related to horses. Those who want to harm My Lord are either born in the Year of the Horse or have the surname Ma, which is closely related to horses.¡± Lord Yu was in a daze. He didn¡¯t think much of it at first, but when he looked at the word again, he actually felt his heart jump. ¡°Then, do you know where the person who wants to harm me is?¡± Shu Yu was still pointing at the word, ¡°Hai belongs to the northwest. This baleful aura thus comes from the northwest. It also represents the water element, so the location of the culprit must not be far from the water. The corresponding numbers are 1,4,6,10,12. My Lord, you can look at the door numbers and see if they contain one of these numbers.¡± She then looked at the top of Lord Yu¡¯s head again and suddenly frowned, ¡°This baleful aura is getting stronger and stronger. It¡¯s an evil spirit that kills people for money. Someone wants to take your property. My Lord, you should head northwest as soon as possible. There might still be time now.¡± Her words were so firm that even if Lord Yu had suspected her of being a liar, he started to worry under her anxious expression. ¡°Can you come with me to take a look?¡± Lord Yu said this to confirm whether Shu Yu¡¯s words were true or false. With her by his side, he could also be on guard. Shu Yu hesitated for a moment, then nodded seriously, ¡°This way please.¡± Lord Yu let out a sigh of relief and quickly walked out of the shop. Then, he started to head northwest. Since he had to go northeast where there was water, that would be the Wenmo River area. Wait a minute, Master Geng seemed to live in that area as well. As such, it would be a good opportunity to meet Master Geng and ask him to take a look at the Daoist priest next to him. If the other party really was a liar, Master Geng would definitely be able to tell. Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Found the Place Chapter 61: Found the Place Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lord Yu brought Shu Yu and two other attendants and hurried towards the Wenmo River. The town wasn¡¯t big, so they soon arrived. They walked along the Wenmo River. After a while, one of the attendants suddenly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Madame¡¯s palanquin? ¡± Lord Yu was stunned. He looked up and saw his wife¡¯s palanquin parked not far away. He looked around again. Master Geng¡¯s house seemed to be in that alley. This was normal. Ever since Master Geng had said that his wife had hopes of conceiving a child, she had been very trusting of the other party and would occasionally go to Master Geng to clear her doubts. Thinking that Master Geng was nearby, Lord Yu decided to go pay a visit. Unexpectedly, just as he took a step, Shu Yu, who was next to him, suddenly said, ¡°Wait, that palanquin has also been stained with a lot of baleful aurae.¡± Lord Yu was shocked, ¡°My wife is in danger too?¡± Shu Yu was silent for a while, then looked at him sympathetically. She said hesitantly, ¡°The baleful aura on the palanquin seems to be the source.¡± Lord Yu was stunned. What¡­ What did she mean? He was a businessman, after all, so his brain functioned quickly. He had already thought of a possibility. However, he had shared the same bed with his wife for many years, while the Daoist nun before him was someone he had only met by chance. He naturally trusted his wife more. Therefore, even though he had some doubts in his heart, his expression toward Shu Yu sank slightly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you are mistaken.¡± Shu Yu smiled bitterly, ¡°I hope so.¡± Lord Yu snorted coldly and strode towards Master Geng¡¯s house. Shu Yu saw that although his expression was unpleasant as he seemed to be very dissatisfied with her badmouthing his wife, he walked in a direction that deliberately avoided the palanquin and the palanquin¡¯s driver. She couldn¡¯t help but smile secretly. Lord Yu had his hands behind his back and was silent, but his heart was already in turmoil. He remembered that his wife¡¯s zodiac was the horse. Could it be that she really wanted to harm him? Impossible! This Daoist nun came out of nowhere. She was clearly trying to drive a wedge between them. He couldn¡¯t fall for it. However, when he arrived at the door of Master Geng¡¯s house and saw the number 36, he almost lost his balance. Lord Yu stopped his action of knocking on the door. He called his two attendants over and said to one of them, ¡°Climb over the wall quietly and see the situation inside.¡± He then said to the other one, ¡°Watch that Daoist nun for me. Don¡¯t let her leave.¡± The two immediately acted, and Shu Yu just watched one of the attendants flip over the wall. She didn¡¯t say much, but her face revealed a look of pity. Not long after, the attendant flipped down from the wall again, but his expression was particularly heavy and ugly. He looked very hesitant, and Lord Yu had a bad feeling in his heart. ¡°Speak,¡± He said. The attendant looked at Shu Yu, but he still leaned over to Lord Yu¡¯s ear and whispered a few words. Lord Yu¡¯s eyes widened as he listened, his face full of shock, ¡°You¡­ Are you serious?¡± The attendant nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve already tied up the maidservant who was guarding the door and gagged her. My Lord, do you want to go in and take a look?¡± Lord Yu gritted his teeth and his whole body was trembling. His eyes were red as he said word by word, ¡°Go!¡± The attendant opened the door gently and Lord Yu prepared to enter. After taking a step, he turned his head and looked deeply at Shu Yu. The latter nodded, ¡°My Lord, you can go in. This is indeed the source of the baleful aura. This is all I can help you with.¡± Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Shu Yu Earns Some Money Chapter 62: Shu Yu Earns Some Money Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lord Yu asked the remaining attendants to watch Shu Yu, then he flicked his sleeves and strode inside. The door to the courtyard was closed again, and God knows what was going on inside. Shu Yu was a little tired from standing, so she found a stone and sat down to rest. Gee, it was a success. Now, it was all up to Lord Yu. She hoped that he would live up to her expectations. God knows how long she had been waiting, but there was suddenly a crackling sound coming from inside. It was followed by a woman¡¯s cry and a man¡¯s plea. However, the distance was too far, so Shu Yu couldn¡¯t hear it clearly. Either way, that was about it. The weather was a little hot, so Shu Yu moved to the side, to a shady place. When she moved for the second time, the door to the courtyard was finally opened. Shu Yu was still sitting in the same place. She watched as the slightly flustered Lord Yu walk out with an angry expression. It seemed like he had been greatly stimulated. He no longer had his previous suspicions and bowed deeply to Shu Yu, ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Shu Yu put one hand on her knee and waved her other hand weakly. She said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Lord Yu¡¯s expression was serious. He was really grateful to the Daoist nun in front of him. If it wasn¡¯t for her, not only would he have let a scoundrel into his house, but he would have even treated the liar as a guest of honor. On top of that, he would have thrown the helve after the hatchet and raised someone else¡¯s child, ending up giving his huge family fortune away with both hands. Just like what the Daoist nun had said, he was only one or two days away from being beyond redemption. They were talking about the Yu family¡¯s family business that had been accumulated over several generations. To think those two were targeting it. Just now, when he saw his wife, whom he had respected for many years, lying in another man¡¯s arms, he almost vomited blood. It was simply disgusting, just nasty! Lord Yu felt that not only was the Daoist nun capable, but she was also his savior. He had to think of a way to make such a person stay. However, just as he was about to persuade her, he saw Shu Yu¡¯s weak look and hurriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why do you suddenly look so listless?¡± Shu Yu smiled bitterly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just suffered a backlash from revealing the heavenly secret.¡± Lord Yu was stunned. That¡¯s right, the Daoist nun had said before that if she helped him, she would suffer a backlash. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Pu¡­¡± Shu Yu immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. Lord Yu was shocked, ¡°Daoist nun! Daoist nun, are you alright?¡± Shu Yu wiped her mouth, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the backlash this time to be a little heavy.¡± Lord Yu was immediately anxious, ¡°Is there any way to stop it? How can I resolve this?¡± ¡°As long as I do more good deeds, help the poor, old, and young, and accumulate merit, I can offset this backlash. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll rest for a while and do some good deeds, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lord Yu immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll get someone to help you back to my residence to rest. I¡¯ll help you complete the good deeds.¡± Shu Yu smiled kindly, ¡°It¡¯s naturally good that you can do more good deeds. The baleful aura still has some influence on you, My Lord. It will slowly dissipate if you do more good deeds on a daily basis. However, the good deeds you do will belong to you, while my backlash is mine. I have to do good deeds myself to resolve it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lord Yu looked at her and didn¡¯t think she was fine. He paused for a moment and immediately took out two silver notes, ¡°In that case, you must accept the money. You can use this money to do good deeds, but I don¡¯t know if it is enough though¡­¡± Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Farewell Chapter 63: Farewell Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Of course, it was enough. Shu Yu took a glance. That was a hundred taels of silver. Although Shu Yu did want to make the other party suffer some monetary losses, too much was not a good idea either. Lord Yu was superstitious now, and he wanted to have a child so badly that he was desperate. However, being in charge of such a huge family business, how could he be brainless? When he calmed down and stopped being obsessed with having a child, he might find that she had taken advantage of him. If she swindled too much from him, Lord Yu would definitely feel heartache over his loss and dig three feet deep to find her. This amount was just right. However, Shu Yu still declined it. After some rounds of persuasion, she finally accepted the money reluctantly. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and stood up, ¡°Since you have given me this money, you will naturally have a part of the credit when I do good deeds later. It¡¯s getting late and you must still have many things to deal with. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± ¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡± How could Lord Yu let her go? This Daoist nun¡¯s calculation was so accurate. He was still counting on her to show him how to have a child. Lord Yu stood in front of Shu Yu, ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you, Daoist nun. I have something in my heart that I would like to ask for your advice.¡± Shu Yu shook her head and said with a smile, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know the details of what you want, it should be related to children based on the word you wrote just now. As I said just now, the karma on you lies with children. There are some things that should not be forced and you should just go with the flow.¡± ¡°Daoist nun, you mean¡­¡± ¡°My skills are not good enough, so I suffered a backlash from the baleful aura just now. Now, I can¡¯t help you anymore, but I do have a few words to tell you. There are times in life that are meant to be, and there are things in life that can be forced. Whether one has children or not is destined by the heavens.¡± Lord Yu was in a daze, ¡°So I really can¡¯t have children in this life?¡± Shu Yu resisted the urge to roll her eyes. How would she know? She wasn¡¯t a doctor. She continued to smile, ¡°My Lord, you don¡¯t have to be too pessimistic. As long as you truly love children, treat them well, and don¡¯t use underhanded methods to do things that will harm children, your fated child will naturally know that your place is a good place to go, and with that, you may increase the chances of having a child. That¡¯s all I have to say. Farewell.¡± Lord Yu wanted to stop her again, but Shu Yu suddenly clutched her chest and coughed twice in discomfort. Seeing this, he immediately retracted his hand. This Daoist nun was obviously different from the swindler, Master Geng. She was indifferent to fame and fortune and traveled the world. It was impossible for her to stay in his residence for a long time. If he insisted, he would definitely be the one to suffer in the end. Lord Yu wanted to ask for Shu Yu¡¯s name and address, but Shu Yu shook her head and said, ¡°We¡¯ll meet again if we¡¯re fated.¡± With that, Shu Yu left. Lord Yu felt that it was a pity, but he could not stop her. At the moment, he still had to deal with the adultery of his wife and Master Geng, as well as their plan of premeditated murder. He really couldn¡¯t care about anything else. Lord Yu¡¯s face turned cold as he walked back into the courtyard. Madame Yu and Master Geng weren¡¯t people who could resist much pain. Under Lord Yu¡¯s interrogation, they quickly confessed. Only then did Lord Yu realize that many people in the residence had already been bribed by two people. Not only were the maidservants and palanquin carriers by Madame Yu¡¯s side, but even the steward had been bribed. The steward quickly confessed to the involvement of the Ruan Family Village¡¯s Old Lady Ruan. Lord Yu thought of what Shu Yu had said, telling him not to do anything that would hurt children. But what had Old Lady Ruan done? Not only had she sold her granddaughter more than ten years ago, but now she still wanted to do the same evil deed. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Go Down the Path of Gossip Chapter 64: Go Down the Path of Gossip Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lord Yu would never admit that his original intention was to buy a pair of twins. He never considered the fact that doing so would break up a good family. Still, he had only thought about it. In contrast, Old Lady Ruan had put it into action. He couldn¡¯t let such a wicked person continue to do evil. Otherwise, how many more children would be hurt in the future? The Daoist nun had said that he had to take care of children, so he had to teach such a person a lesson. He had to set an example to others, which could also be considered as indirectly protecting many children. Therefore, when Old Lady Ruan came to the Yu family for their help in seeking justice for her because Shu Yu had smashed her house, she was simply sending herself to the door. Lord Yu straight away sent people to the Ruan Family Village and tore down half of Old Lady Ruan¡¯s house. He even broke the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son¡¯s leg. Of course, all of this happened later. Shu Yu, who had just separated from Lord Yu, quickly removed her makeup after making sure that no one was following her. She then redressed as an ordinary farmer¡¯s daughter. She held the silver notes in her hand and couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. She finally had some money on hand. With this, she could do a lot of things. Shu Yu bought a bag of meat buns on the street. As she ate, she walked towards Shangshi Village with light steps. There weren¡¯t any ox-carts here, but the distance was still alright. She reached the village entrance after walking for nearly 45 minutes. As soon as she arrived, she saw a familiar figure looking around. When he saw Shu Yu, the person immediately rushed over and asked, ¡°Erya, you¡¯re finally back. Where did you go yesterday? Where did you go? What the hell did you do, you¡­ Oh, this fragrance, it¡¯s a meat bun.¡± Lu Sanzhu sniffled as he spoke. He was about to snatch the buns from Shu Yu out of reflex, but when he saw Shu Yu¡¯s smiling face, he suddenly came back to his senses. Thinking of her savage actions, he immediately took two steps back and laughed dryly, ¡°Erya, your meat buns look pretty good.¡± Seeing that he had put in a lot of effort yesterday, Shu Yu handed him one. Then, she walked into the village in a good mood. Lu Sanzhu took a big bite out of the meat bun. Seeing Shu Yu walk in, he immediately followed her while eating, ¡°Erya, how did the incident yesterday go?¡± Shu Yu stopped and turned to look at him. She asked, ¡°Have you fed the chickens?¡± Why was she still going on about her chickens? They wouldn¡¯t starve to death even if they went without food for a day. Lu Sanzhu took a big bite of the meat bun and said, ¡°Yes, I fed them.¡± He added, ¡°Your kitchen door was locked, and there was nothing to feed the chickens. I took the chicken feed from my own house, and I was scolded by my wife.¡± Shu Yu turned to look at him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to know if the Yu family¡¯s matter has been resolved? You¡¯ll know if you go to the Ruan Family Village.¡± Lu Sanzhu was speechless. She asked him about the chickens when he asked her about business, but now that he was talking about the chickens, she talked about business instead. Hmm? Wait a minute. He abruptly raised his head, ¡°The Ruan Family Village?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lu Sanzhu stuffed the bun into his mouth in a few bites and wiped the oil stains on his clothes. He was extremely excited as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± After saying that, he ran off. Shu Yu shook her head. As expected, Third Uncle Lu had gone down the path of gossip. She turned around and continued to walk toward the Lu family¡¯s residence. When she reached the center of the village, she noticed a few villagers pointing at her. Shu Yu vaguely heard them say that she had smashed the Ruan Family Village with an axe. It seemed that the news of what happened in the Ruan Family Village yesterday had already spread here. Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Daya was Here Chapter 65: Daya was Here Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio It¡¯s good that the news spread. Outsiders would know that the Lu family was not to be trifled with now. Shu Yu went straight home and saw Madam Liang at the door. Madam Liang should have also learned about what she had done, so she laughed awkwardly and was about to go back. However, she quickly turned around and said to her, ¡°Erya, Daya heard that you were found and came over in a hurry yesterday afternoon. She waited at home for a long time and even cleaned your house inside and out. She even fed the chickens. You guys didn¡¯t come back, so she was taken home by her man.¡± Daya? In fact, Shu Yu had always heard Sanya mention their eldest sister. It was said that she had married into Dayan Village and her life was neither good nor bad. It was just that there were a lot of things to do at home, so she had little chance to come back. Sanya didn¡¯t go into details, but Shu Yu could tell from her tone that Daya wasn¡¯t doing well. Otherwise, Dayan Village wasn¡¯t that far away. Why would she only return once every few months or even half a year? Shu Yu sighed and replied to Madam Liang, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go to Dayan Village to visit her and let her rest assured.¡± She was about to enter the house when she suddenly turned her head, ¡°You said Daya fed the chickens? Didn¡¯t third uncle say he did it?¡± ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m getting angry just talking about this. I already told him that Daya had already fed the chickens, but he didn¡¯t listen and insisted on feeding them again. He even said that this was his mother¡¯s instruction. Bah, since when did he listen to his mother¡¯s words? God knows if his brain was spoiled after going out. He¡¯s just a prodigal with nothing better to do. He entered your house in the dark and the entire courtyard was filled with the sound of chickens crowing. I almost thought that a thief had broken into the house next door.¡± Madam Liang cursed and was extremely angry. When she looked up, she found that Shu Yu had already entered the door. She could only shut her mouth and go back to her house after a few more angry grunts. Shu Yu entered the courtyard and looked at the somewhat dilapidated courtyard and henhouse. She couldn¡¯t help but smack her forehead. It seemed that it was a mistake to ask Lu Sanzhu to feed the chickens. The nice yard had been messed up. She went over to pick up the fallen stool and then entered the central room. As soon as she entered, she found a strange small basket on the table. There was a piece of light green cloth in the basket, and a few big peaches were under it. When she left yesterday, this basket wasn¡¯t here. Now, not only had it been placed here, but there was also a piece of cloth suitable for girls to make clothes. Without thinking, she knew that this basket was probably sent over by Daya. Her life was already difficult, yet she still sent such good things. God knows how long she had been saving the money. Shu Yu touched the piece of cloth and went into the house with the basket. She tidied up the yard, fed the chickens again, and began to look around the yard. Shu Yu wanted to build another room. She could not leave for the time being, and the Lu family would not let her leave either, which meant that she had to stay here. However, the Lu family only had two rooms, but she hoped to have her private space. After all, she still had some secrets to hide. It would be more convenient to have a separate room. She couldn¡¯t let her grandmother stay at her eldest uncle¡¯s house all the time either. What would that make her? Building a new room wouldn¡¯t cost much, and it would be done in a few days. Even if she left in the future, Dahu, who was about to mature, would no longer need to live with his parents, which was more or less inconvenient. While building a room, they could repair the damaged areas while they were at it and the family could live more comfortably. Just as Shu Yu was thinking about this, Lu Sanzhu¡¯s cry of surprise came from outside, ¡°Something¡¯s happened to the Ruan family! Something¡¯s happened to the Ruan family!¡± Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: I Heard that You Split the Person into Two Chapter 66: I Heard that You Split the Person into Two Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Sanzhu¡¯s voice was high-spirited and excited, causing the people in the village who had not gone out to work to poke their heads out and ask. The Ruan family had been the center of too many matters these few days. First, they brought a fake Erya over to the Lu family, then the real Erya beat them up. Now, something happened again. Seeing Lu Sanzhu passing by, they couldn¡¯t bother to be afraid and immediately pulled him back and asked, ¡°Third son of the Lu family, tell us quickly. What¡¯s wrong with the Ruan family?¡± Lu Sanzhu was so excited that his face turned red, ¡°Hahahaha, you guys don¡¯t know this, but that vicious old woman from the Ruan family heard that Lord Yu from town wants a pair of twins, so she had designs on my second brother¡¯s children. In the end, the Yu family¡¯s butler went to the Ruan family¡¯s residence and smashed it. ¡± Shu Yu had promised the village chief of the Ruan Family Village not to spread Old Lady Ruan¡¯s doings, but the one who leaked the news was the Yu family¡¯s butler. She couldn¡¯t be blamed. Lu Sanzhu felt that Erya had planned everything, ¡°The butler of the Yu family said that Lord Yu had no idea that Old Lady Ruan wanted to sell her grandchildren. He had only just heard about it too. The moment he found out that the Ruan family was trying to ruin a good family in his name, he felt that she was too vicious. To think she wanted Lord Yu to bear such a sin. Isn¡¯t it just right that Lord Yu was enraged? Now, half of the Ruan family¡¯s house has been destroyed. When the Ruan family¡¯s eldest son tried to stop them, his leg was broken too.¡± Everyone looked at each other when they heard this. Was Old Lady Ruan still human? The Lu family was already in such a miserable state. Not only had she sold one in the past, but now she even wanted to sell two more? She really deserved it. To think she even wanted to scheme against Lord Yu. She was simply seeking her own death. ¡°Alright, alright. If you want to watch the show, go to Ruan Family Village. I have to tell my niece the good news,¡± Lu Sanzhu squeezed through the crowd and ran towards Lu erbai¡¯s house. The villagers looked at each other and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about this? I¡¯m not going. All the work at home is piled up anyway.¡± Yet in the end, they each quietly went straight to the Ruan Family Village through another road. Lu Sanzhu didn¡¯t even enter his own house. Instead, he pushed open the door to Second Lu¡¯s courtyard. When he saw Shu Yu standing in the courtyard, he quickly went over and whispered, ¡°Erya, something has happened to the Ruan family.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re loud. I can hear you from here.¡± Lu Sanzhu said bashfully, ¡°Then¡­ Did you have something to do with Lord Yu¡¯s people smashing up the Ruan family¡¯s residence?¡± Shu Yu gave him a side glance, ¡°What do you think? ¡± Lu Sanzhu shuddered with that one look. He could not help but pat his chest. Erya¡¯s gazes were getting more and more frightening. God knows what she did to make the Yu family go to find trouble with Old Lady Ruan. This girl was too powerful. Lu Sanzhu¡¯s heart itched. He wanted to ask more, but he heard the door open, then, Dahu and Sanya¡¯s voices sounded, ¡°Second sister, second sister.¡± Shu Yu turned around only to see the old lady back with the two children. The old lady¡¯s face was full of anxiety. She pushed Lu Sanzhu aside and asked nervously, ¡°Erya, are you okay? I heard you went to the Ruan Family Village to find trouble with your grandmother?¡± ¡°Grandma knows?¡± ¡°Someone from the Ruan Family Village went to the county to sell things today, and I happened to bump into her. She told me that you split Old Lady Ruan into two with an axe yesterday.¡± Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Is This My Real Mother? Chapter 67: Is This My Real Mother? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu was speechless. Ha? This rumor was too exaggerated. However, before Shu Yu could explain, the gossipy Lu Sanzhu had already started telling the old lady excitedly all he learned. Shu Yu thus remained silent and looked at Dahu and Sanya. The old lady had probably rushed back after hearing the rumors. The two children looked very disheveled. God knows if they had taken a cart. Their shoes were worn out badly and their toes were exposed. Shu Yu patted the two children¡¯s heads and said, ¡°You must be tired from the journey. Are you hungry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Dahu immediately replied with a tense face, but as soon as he said that, his stomach grumbled. The little boy¡¯s face turned red and he quickly took a few steps back. Shu Yu laughed. These two children were really capable of healing people¡¯s hearts. If they were stolen and sold by Old Lady Ruan, what would happen to them in the future? Don¡¯t say that they would lead a good life in the Yu family. They were just a tool in the scheme of the deceitful Master Geng and Madame Yu. Once they were useless, they would only be abandoned and have no way to live. Fortunately, they were now safe. Shu Yu held one of them in each hand and brought them to the kitchen. ¡°I bought a few meat buns in town this morning, but they¡¯re a little cold now. Let¡¯s heat them up before eating.¡± ¡°Meat buns?¡± Sanya and Dahu exclaimed and couldn¡¯t help but swallow their saliva. Shu Yu laughed and asked them to help start the fire. The meat buns were heated up very quickly. Shu Yu brought out three bowls, each with two buns in it. Then, she called out to the old lady, who was still listening to Lu Sanzhu¡¯s nonsense. At this point, the old lady already had a rough idea of what had happened. When she entered the kitchen, she held Shu Yu¡¯s hand, her face full of fear, ¡°Fortunately, we have you, Erya. Thank God you¡¯re back, otherwise¡­¡± Her eyes turned red and she sobbed, ¡°Otherwise, this family would really have been ruined.¡± She didn¡¯t even know that Old Lady Ruan had her eyes on Dahu and Sanya. Their family had almost been finished. Why didn¡¯t the heavens take that inhumane beast? If anything happened to Dahu and Sanya, she vowed to take Old Lady Ruan down with her. Shu Yu patted her head gently and comforted her, ¡°Aren¡¯t they safe now? Our family is safe and sound, and the Ruan family has received their retribution. I don¡¯t think the Ruan family will dare to do anything more after this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Shu Yu pushed the bowl to her, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Grandma, you must be hungry now, having to rush all the way back. Have something to eat and fill your stomach first. I still have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± The old lady was happy. When she saw the fragrant meat bun, she didn¡¯t hold back and took two big bites. Lu Sanzhu gulped and chuckled, ¡°Erya¡­¡± The old lady glanced at him. To think Erya could control her third son. If it was in the past, Lu Sanzhu would have snatched all the meat buns away without a word, and even she, his mother, could not control him. Yet now, he was yearning for the meat buns but still didn¡¯t even dare to eat a single one. The old lady gloated and took a big bite in front of him, ¡°Mm, it¡¯s so fragrant. As expected of meat buns, they¡¯re much better than vegetable buns. Sanya, Dahu, hurry up and eat while it¡¯s hot. Eat more.¡± Lu Sanzhu was speechless. Was this really his real mother? Was there such an immoral mother? Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Run a Small Business Chapter 68: Run a Small Business Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu had something to say to the old lady, and Lu Sanzhu¡¯s presence here was really an eyesore. She handed him two buns. Lu Sanzhu seemed afraid that she would take them back, so he immediately turned and ran away with the buns. After he was gone, the old lady said, ¡°Everything has its weakness, huh? It¡¯s rare for Sanzhu to be so obedient.¡± Shu Yu poured her a glass of water and asked Dahu and Sanya to eat slowly. Then, he said, ¡°Third uncle doesn¡¯t have any other good points, but he¡¯s really good at reading the atmosphere.¡± The old lady smiled and finished the bun in her hand. She hadn¡¯t eaten a meat bun in a long time, and she couldn¡¯t hold back just now. Shu Yu handed her another one, but the old lady waved her hand, ¡°Enough, I¡¯m done. Erya, you just said you have something to discuss with me. What is it?¡± ¡°I want to ask, what is our main source of income?¡± Source of income? The old lady was dazed for a moment. She paused for a moment before she said, ¡°You¡¯re talking about how our family makes money, right?¡± Shu Yu nodded, and the old lady did not hide it from her, ¡°Our family had seven or eight mu of land before, but we¡¯ve sold a few mu over the years. Especially after your father¡¯s leg was broken, he needed a lot of money to treat his leg. Now, we only have three mu of land left.¡± The old lady and Madam Ruan took care of the three mu of land. ¡°Other than land, your mother and I do some needlework to support the family. Your father¡¯s leg isn¡¯t in a good state, so he can¡¯t walk, which is why he stays at home. He used to be an apprentice for a few years and knew a little carpentry. He usually makes some small wooden pieces to sell, but he can¡¯t go up the mountain to get wood, so he can only buy it. As a result, he doesn¡¯t earn much. In addition, he can¡¯t sit for too long, or his legs will go numb and it¡¯ll be more troublesome, which will naturally slow down his pace of work.¡± Shu Yu understood. Although the Lu family had three mu of land, it was probably not enough for them to sustain themselves. The rest of the income was from sewing and selling small wooden items. They didn¡¯t earn much, yet they had to pay for the family¡¯s living expenses, Lu Erbai¡¯s medical expenses, and even the travel expenses in search of her back when she had been missing. The old lady¡¯s face was full of misery after she finished. They were confident that as long as Lu Erbai¡¯s leg was cured, their future days would get better and better. However, she had also heard from Doctor Xu that even if his leg recovered, it would not be as flexible as before. There were only a few laborers in the family. Their days would probably not improve much. Shu Yu pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Grandma, have you ever thought about renting out those few mu of land and starting our own small business?¡± ¡°Small business?¡± The old lady was stunned and shook her head, ¡°No, your mother and I don¡¯t have any skills. We only know how to farm. It¡¯s not easy to run a small business too. Besides, this requires capital, and we can¡¯t even take out a hundred copper coins.¡± ¡°How can you not have any skills? Aren¡¯t you and mother very good at needlework?¡± ¡°I can just sew and mend some clothes. Your mother¡¯s needlework is good but compared to the embroiderers in the city, the gap is huge. She can mend the ordinary handkerchiefs and fans, but she can¡¯t do any more than that.¡± The old lady waved her hands, thinking that Shu Yu¡¯s thoughts were a little naive. However, Shu Yu said, ¡°That¡¯s not important. It doesn¡¯t matter if mum¡¯s embroidery skills can¡¯t compare to the professionals, but I¡¯ve seen her sewing skills. She¡¯s very skilled and her needlework is beautiful. Just this point is enough.¡± Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Clothing Shop Chapter 69: Clothing Shop Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The old lady did not understand, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Grandma, I just want normal sets of ready-to-wear clothes. As for the embroidery work, I¡¯ll find an embroiderer to do it if I need it. I¡¯m selling something else.¡± The old lady was curious, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A skill. A skill in matching outfits and makeup.¡± There was no such profession as a stylist or coordinator yet in this era, but Shu Yu was well-versed in this line of work. In her previous life, she had used this as her starting point. She had first gotten close to a celebrity the big shot supported. Through the celebrity, she had gotten to know the big shot and deliberately displayed her abilities in other aspects before the other party. Finally, step by step, she managed to stand by the big shot¡¯s side. Although she had not been in this line of work for a long time, she had not lost her foundation. The knowledge she had learned was still in her mind. Shu Yu had already planned it out. She was already prepared for her possible ending of exile and was not trying to change it. That being said, she could come back after being exiled, possibly in a month or two. After all, she was only the Shu family¡¯s adopted daughter, and she was almost killed by the Shu family. Others wouldn¡¯t care about her outcome. However, if she wanted to return in such a short time after her exile, she had to know someone who could bring her back. The current Jiangyuan County was very poor. People like the county magistrate had long been tied to the same boat as the Shu family. If the Shu family was exiled, the officials in the county were probably going to change as well. As such, Shu Yu had never counted on these people. However, Shu Yu still remembered one thing that was written in the book. The second wife of the vice minister from the capital¡¯s central judicial office, Madam Chang, had a cousin, Madam Deng, who married into the wealthy Jiang family of Jiangyuan County. Their relationship was rather complicated. The wife of the central judicial office¡¯s vice minister had a good relationship with Madam Deng when they were young. However, when Madam Chang¡¯s family was in trouble, not only did the Deng family not help, they even hit them when they were down. The relationship between the two families was broken, but in private, Madam Deng maintained a good relationship with Madam Chang. When Madam Chang had been in trouble, Madam Deng had secretly helped her. It was likely that even Madam Deng¡¯s husband¡¯s family did not know about this. It was only after a while when the central judicial office¡¯s vice minister came to Dongan Prefecture to investigate the Shu family incident that everyone learned of their relationship when the two met. Shu Yu had her eyes on Madam Deng. As long as the central judicial office¡¯s vice minister turned a blind eye to her background, there was a lot of room for manipulation. In the past, she did not care about being exiled or not. After all, even if she went to a remote place, Shu Yu could still work hard and lead a good life. She had no people or things to miss in Dongan Prefecture, so it did not matter if she went to a new place. As such, even though she knew the outcome, she had never thought of coming back. But it was different now. Now¡­ She had a family. Whether it was the old lady who had a tough mouth but a soft heart, Lu Erbai who was so stubborn that he almost crippled his legs just to find his daughter, the gentle but warm Madam Ruan, Dahu who pretended to be calm, or Sanya whose eyes were filled with joy the moment she saw her, and even¡­ Daya whom she had never even met but still gave her the best things. They had all given her the warmth of family that she had been missing for many years, and Shu Yu could not bear to part with them. She wanted to come back and live with them. At the thought of this, Shu Yu reached out and held the old lady¡¯s hand, who looked confused. She smiled and said, ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s open a ready-to-wear clothing shop. I¡¯ll tell you the details later. A ready-to-wear clothing shop? The old lady was surprised. She wanted to open a shop right away? The cost of opening a clothing store was not low. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Daya Cant Bear Children Chapter 70: Daya Can¡¯t Bear Children Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The old lady knew that Erya would definitely be the one funding the shop¡¯s capital, but she felt guilty for taking this money. Shu Yu, on the other hand, wanted to start a small business slowly. After all, she had to build a strong foundation. Unfortunately, she did not have that much time. The old lady still wanted to say something, but Shu Yu had already stood up and entered the house. After a while, she came back with a basket. ¡°Grandma, third aunt said that Daya came by when we weren¡¯t around. She went back later, but I think she left this behind.¡± The old lady was stunned for a moment and her attention shifted. Even Dahu and Sanya stopped eating their buns and looked at the basket. The old lady looked at the cloth in the basket and was silent for a while. Then, she let out a long sigh, ¡°This is a gift from Daya. Just take it.¡± Shu Yu nodded and took out the peaches from under the cloth. She handed them to Dahu and Sanya, then asked them to wash the fruits. After the two children left, Shu Yu asked, ¡°Grandma, I haven¡¯t seen Daya yet. Tell me about her situation. Which family did she marry? Do her in-laws treat her well?¡± The old lady was stunned. She looked up at Shu Yu and saw her clear eyes. She laughed bitterly, ¡°Daya is three years older than you. She married into Dayan Village two years ago. Her husband is called Zhang Shu, and he¡¯s quite good to her. He¡¯s also honest and would help out with the work when he comes over.¡± ¡°Daya is just quite thin, but she¡¯s good-looking, just like you. When the Zhang family had come to propose marriage, they had taken a fancy to Daya¡¯s sensible, virtuous, and diligent character. Their marriage was done properly with all the steps. In the first six months of their marriage, Daya would come back almost once a month and a half, quite frequently. But half a year later, when the Zhang family saw that there was no movement from Daya¡¯s stomach, their attitudes turned ugly. At that point, Daya rarely came back, and she never spent the night here anymore. She would be called back after less than two hours.¡± The old lady felt sad as she spoke. She felt that the lives of her second son¡¯s children were just too hard. Daya was leading a hard married life, Erya was stolen and sold when she was young and they had thus been separated for more than ten years, and Sanya¡¯s face was injured. As a result, the little brats in the village would call Sanya ugly every day, and because of this, Dahu fought with them several times. Every time he came back, he was injured. The two children wouldn¡¯t even gobble down a meat bun. They had only nibbled on half of the meat bun by the time it turned cold. ¡°Just why is Daya¡¯s stomach so disappointing? It had already been two years. If she is still childless in a year, how was she going to live her life in the future? Not only will the Zhang family treat her poorly, but the villagers will also point fingers at her. It may affect your and Sanya¡¯s marriage in the future too. The last time I saw her, she was so skinny that she looked like she had aged a few years.¡± Shu Yu patted her hand and said in a low voice, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry. The matter of having a child depends on fate. Besides, it¡¯s not necessarily Daya¡¯s fault that she can¡¯t give birth. It could also be because Zhang Shu is sick.¡± The old lady raised her head abruptly, ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°Why not? Grandma, think about it, a woman can¡¯t give birth to a child on her own. If she doesn¡¯t get married and doesn¡¯t have sex, can she give birth without a man? It¡¯s just that the child is born from a woman¡¯s womb, so everyone thinks that it¡¯s the woman¡¯s responsibility if she is unable to give birth. But if the child is born from a man¡¯s stomach, will it become the man¡¯s problem?¡± Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Discuss Something Chapter 71: Discuss Something Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu was seriously trying to reason with her, but the old lady gave her a pat instead, ¡°Are you out of your mind? You¡¯re so young and you¡¯re already saying such things before you¡¯re even married. What do you mean by having sex? Aren¡¯t you ashamed to say these things?¡± Shu Yu facepalmed. Wasn¡¯t her grandmother focusing on the wrong thing? ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not necessarily a problem with Daya,¡± Shu Yu still had to continue explaining. Otherwise, if even Daya¡¯s family thought that she was infertile, how helpless would she be? ¡°Grandma, think about Lord Yu from town. He¡¯s already so old and has so many wives and concubines, but he still doesn¡¯t have a child. Could it be that his luck is so bad that all his wives and concubines are infertile?¡± Shu Yu leaned closer to the old lady¡¯s ear and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret. Lord Yu¡¯s wife had an affair with someone else and she¡¯s a month pregnant. This proves that there¡¯s nothing wrong with her, right? ¡± The old lady¡¯s eyes widened in shock. It could be the man¡¯s problem if a woman couldn¡¯t get pregnant? The old lady felt that the ideas that she had stood fast by for so many years had undergone earth-shaking changes, which made her somewhat dazed. Shu Yu said, ¡°If Zhang Shu is willing, he can go to the clinic with Daya.¡± The old lady quickly waved her hands, ¡°That definitely won¡¯t work.¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t say anything else. After all, this was a matter between Daya and her husband. It didn¡¯t seem good for them to discuss too much about whether it was Zhang Shu¡¯s problem. Coincidentally, Dahu and Sanya came in with the washed peaches, so the two of them stopped talking about this topic. Dahu stuffed the peach in his hand into Shu Yu¡¯s hand and smiled, ¡°Second sister, eat quickly. Big sister¡¯s peaches must be very delicious.¡± He hadn¡¯t even eaten it yet, and he already knew that it was delicious? Shu Yu looked at the peach in her hand. It was indeed big and round, and it seemed good. Sanya also handed one to the old lady and said in a low voice, ¡°Grandma, here.¡± The old lady glanced at the little girl. In the past, the latter had always been like a mouse seeing a cat before her. Why was she so bold now? Just as she was wondering, Sanya took a few steps back and moved closer to Shu Yu after handing over the peach. The old lady shook her head. Talking about Daya just now, she suddenly thought of something, ¡°Erya, grandma has something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Do say it,¡± Shu Yu took a bite of the peach. As expected, it had thin skin and was very juicy. It was delicious. ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re back and reunited with us now. How about we find a time and call Daya and the others home so that you can get to know each other? This would prevent all of you from being unable to recognize each other when you meet in the future. We won¡¯t invite many of them over, just our own family, your eldest uncle¡¯s family, your third uncle¡¯s family, and your fourth aunt¡¯s family. As for your maternal uncles, we¡¯ll just pretend that we don¡¯t have those relatives in the future.¡± Shu Yu had no objections, ¡°It is indeed what should be done.¡± ¡°Alright, but we¡¯ll do it after your father gets back. I¡¯ve heard from Doctor Xu that in two days, your father will be able to come home and recuperate. He won¡¯t have to stay in the clinic. We just need to go and get the medicine regularly, and help him change the medicine then.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to your arrangement.¡± The old lady smiled so much that the corners of her eyes were crinkled. She stood up happily, ¡°Alright, then rest early today. I¡¯ll take you to the village chief¡¯s house tomorrow morning. You¡¯ve been back for a few days, but you haven¡¯t had the chance to meet him yet. ¡± In the future, if she were to live in the village, she would have to at least know where the village chief¡¯s house was. After the old lady finished speaking, she cleared the dishes on the table. Shu Yu then carried the basket back to the room. Unexpectedly, Dahu blocked her way when she came out again. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Village Chief Fan Chapter 72: Village Chief Fan Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu squatted and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Dahu gulped and took out a small box, ¡°Second sister, this¡­ This is the ointment you asked us to make.¡± Shu Yu took it, opened it, and smelled it. It was a strong smell that wasn¡¯t quite pleasant, but it was made very carefully. Dahu looked at her nervously, ¡°Second sister, is it okay?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Shu Yu nodded. While she was helping the twins vent their anger, the two children were also diligently carrying out the task she gave them. They were not sloppy at all. Dahu was happy, ¡°That¡¯s great. I was worried that we had overdone it. Second sister, can we apply it on Sanya already then?¡± ¡°Not yet, I need to add something,¡± Shu Yu stood up, ¡°Leave the rest to me. Don¡¯t worry, Sanya will become a little beauty very soon.¡± Dahu pursed his lips and smiled again, looking very happy. For the next two days, Shu Yu followed the old lady to meet the village chief of Shangshi Village. The village chief¡¯s surname was Fan, and because he was a relative of the mayor of Wenlan Town, the villagers were not surprised that he was the village chief. Village Chief Fan was not exactly a good person. He had selfish motives and was greedy for small gains. He liked to listen to people¡¯s praises and would embezzle some small money to spend. That being said, he still had a bottom line and would not exploit the villagers too much. In general, he did not make any huge mistakes nor did he make any huge contributions. He was not good, but not bad either. When Shu Yu came to visit for the first time, he seemed somewhat displeased, probably because he felt that she didn¡¯t value him enough since she only came after a few days. However, he did a good job on the surface. He asked his wife to pick some fresh vegetables and send them over as a congratulatory gift. The old lady then brought Shu Yu to Eldest Uncle Lu¡¯s house. However, other than Lu Dasong and Daniu, both of whom Shu Yu had met before, the other children were brought back to their maternal grandparents¡¯ by the eldest uncle¡¯s wife. She said that her maternal family was holding a wedding ceremony, so she brought her children to participate in the wedding banquet. The old lady was disgruntled, thinking that the eldest uncle¡¯s wife was doing this on purpose. She knew that Erya was back, yet she did not even come to see her. She even took her children away. She simply wasn¡¯t acting like an elder. Lu Dasong explained awkwardly, ¡°Honey went to second brother¡¯s house before, but there was no one at home at that time, so she came back. Erniu and the others are eager to meet Erya too. It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± The old lady snorted coldly and went back with Shu Yu. Shu Yu didn¡¯t mind. She would see them sooner or later anyway. The only thing she cared about now was Lu Erbai¡¯s family. After they returned, Shu Yu gave the old lady a piece of silver, ¡°Grandma, in two days, fourth aunt and the others will come to our house. We have to entertain them. Take this money and buy some food.¡± The old lady refused, ¡°What¡¯s the need for that? We¡¯re all family. They know about our family¡¯s situation. We can just have some steamed buns with salted vegetables.¡± Shu Yu was speechless. She took back the silver, ¡°Alright. If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll take it myself. I¡¯ll buy some food later.¡± When the old lady heard this, she became anxious and quickly snatched the silver fragment back, ¡°That can¡¯t do. If I leave you to it, you might buy something expensive. Look in the cabinet, there¡¯s still a lot of rice and flour left. You¡¯re not allowed to buy those anymore.¡± When Shu Yu passed her the silver again, the old lady sighed and accepted it in the end, ¡°You only have so little money. If you spend it on us, what about your dowry in the future?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I have you guys? After we open the shop, you¡¯ll be the ones doing the hard work. You can just help me save up again.¡± The old lady loved to hear this. Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Erya is Rich Chapter 73: Erya is Rich Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu had already explained the concept of the ready-to-wear clothing shop to the old lady. The old lady didn¡¯t really know much about matching, customization or changing makeup and hairstyle according to a person¡¯s skin color, face shape, and figure. All of these sounded very complicated. However, Erya was someone who had seen the world. She might have learned all this in the prefecture. Erya¡¯s plan was so detailed, so she must be skilled in this. As such, the old lady didn¡¯t object anymore. After all, she was an old lady. She didn¡¯t have the skills or money. She just had to listen. After accepting the silver, the old lady started to think about what she wanted to buy. She wanted to buy the most cost-effective ingredients with the least amount of money. She still felt that they didn¡¯t need to treat their relatives to good food. It was good enough to have pickled vegetables. After all, it wasn¡¯t like they didn¡¯t know that their family was poor. Another day passed, and it was time for Lu Erbai to return home. Early in the morning, Shu Yu left for the county to pick him up. The old lady and the two children did not go, to prevent from making things troublesome instead. They stayed at home and tidied things up. On the other hand, when Lu Sanzhu, who lived next door, found out about the matter, he followed Shu Yu eagerly and said that he wanted to help. Shu Yu still opted to take a carriage at the village entrance. The villagers along the way looked at her curiously. Although Shu Yu had been back for a few days, she had almost never walked around the village. She had stayed cooped up at home, preparing for the opening of her clothing shop. Still, her name was widely spread in the village, especially the matter of her splitting the old woman of the Ruan family in two with an axe, which was false. It simply shocked all the villagers. Therefore, many were extremely curious about the Lu family¡¯s Erya, but they did not dare to approach the Lu family¡¯s main gate. It was not until Shu Yu walked to the entrance of the village that the sizing-up gazes dissipated a little. Today was not a market day, so there were not many people on the carriage. Only she and Lu Sanzhu got on at Shangshi Village. They arrived at the county slowly. As soon as they got off the ox-cart, Lu Sanzhu said to the old man driving the cart, ¡°Wait for us in the afternoon. We still have to go back. When the time comes¡­¡± Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Shu Yu, ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for us. We don¡¯t need the carriage.¡± The old man nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Shu Yu walked into the city and Lu Sanzhu followed her hurriedly, ¡°Erya, if we don¡¯t book a seat in advance, he won¡¯t leave a seat for us.¡± ¡°I know, but we won¡¯t be taking the ox cart back. My father¡¯s leg was finally cured, and the ox cart is too crowded and bumpy. It¡¯s not appropriate. We¡¯ll go and rent a carriage later.¡± She ultimately had to buy a carriage herself. It was too inconvenient without one. It was just that she had to use the money in her hands to open a shop now, so she couldn¡¯t spare any to buy a carriage yet. Shu Yu sighed as he walked toward the clinic. Lu Sanzhu was stunned for a moment, but he immediately became happy. He knew that there would be benefits to gain if he followed Erya. When they arrived at the clinic, Doctor Xu was there too. He was re-bandaging Lu Erbai¡¯s wound. When he saw Shu Yu coming over, he instructed her, ¡°Take care of him well when you go back. Don¡¯t apply that messy ointment anymore. Come back and get more when you¡¯re out of medicine. Alright, come with me to get the medicine. You can go back after you¡¯re done.¡± Shu Yu nodded and followed him to the front. She paid the rest of the medical fees and accommodation fees, ¡°Here are eight taels of silver. We have troubled Doctor Xu these few days.¡± In addition to the five taels she had paid the first time, she had used thirteen taels in total. However, this did not include the cost of the medicine. She would have to pay for the medicine every time she came to pick it up, and that would cost about seventeen taels in total. Lu Sanzhu, who was following her, saw her take out eight taels of silver without even blinking. He swallowed hard. Erya was really rich. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Meeting an Acquaintance Chapter 74: Meeting an Acquaintance Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio After Shu Yu paid, she turned to Lu Sanzhu and said, ¡°Third uncle, help me get the medicine. I¡¯ll go to the streets and rent a carriage. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. You can go. Leave it to me.¡± The way he said it made her feel uneasy instead. Shu Yu told Lu Erbai and Madam Ruan where she was going and left. This time, besides renting a carriage, she mainly wanted to understand the price of renting a shop lot in the county. Shu Yu wanted to buy a shop, but she didn¡¯t have enough money. Even if she could buy a shop in a remote location, she wouldn¡¯t have enough money for the rest of the renovation and other things. It seemed that she could only rent a lot for now. Shu Yu walked slowly along the street. Her customer target group was women, those who were slightly well off at that. She had looked around. There weren¡¯t many ready-to-wear clothing shops here, and not many bought ready-to-wear clothes these days either. The rich had their own embroiderers and servants, while the poor would just make some clothes off a piece of cloth. In contrast, there were many cloth shops on the street. Shu Yu searched all the way and found that there were very few shops for rent, especially on the street she had her eyes on. There were only two small lots in very inconspicuous locations. In the end, Shu Yu still went to a middleman and asked them to help keep an eye out. She stated her requirements and said that she would come back in two days. She didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry, but she actually didn¡¯t have much time. After this matter was settled, Shu Yu went to buy some things. Dahu and Sanya¡¯s shoes were badly damaged and their toes were poking out. They could save on other things, but they couldn¡¯t save on this. After buying the shoes, Shu Yu went to pick out two pieces of cloth. She wanted to see if Madam Ruan could try and make the clothes she wanted. She also bought some other miscellaneous items. By the time she was carrying a pile of things, she finally went to rent a carriage. There was no need to find someone else. The coachman she had rented last time was not bad, so she still went to him. By the time everything was done, it was already past noon. Looking at Shu Yu, who came back with so many things, Madam Ruan looked helpless. Lu Erbai sighed as well, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your money. Our family doesn¡¯t have money, so we¡¯re not in a hurry to buy those things. You take good care of yourself, and we will be very happy.¡± ¡°I know, I won¡¯t waste money in the future,¡± Even though Shu Yu was saying that, she would still spend when she wanted to. Shu Yu handed the things in her hands to Madam Ruan, then helped her father to the door with the envious Lu Sanzhu. The carriage was parked outside. Shu Yu got in first, then bent down to help Lu Erbai. Unexpectedly, Lu Erbai¡¯s hand suddenly stopped halfway. Shu Yu found it strange, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± This was the first time that Shu Yu had called him ¡°dad¡±, and she had done so very naturally. Madam Ruan, who was standing behind, was so excited that she almost dropped the things. However, the person in question, Lu Erbai, was completely focused on the situation before him. He did not hear what Shu Yu said at all. He pointed to the front and asked, ¡°Er¡­ Erya, look at that person. Is he the doctor? ¡± ¡°That doctor?¡± Shu Yu turned her head and followed his line of sight. In the next moment, her expression changed and she quickly turned her head back. She thought that since she hardly stepped out of the Shu family¡¯s residence, not many would know her, let alone in the remote Jiangyuan County. Who knew that she would meet someone who just happened to know her identity? It was the traveling doctor who had given her and Lu Erbai emergency treatment at Dongqing Temple! Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Dumb Doctor Zhao Chapter 75: Dumb Doctor Zhao Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Even though they were old acquaintances, Shu Yu did not want to be recognized. After all, she was no longer the third miss of the Shu family. However, Lu Erbai suddenly exclaimed in shock, ¡°What are they doing?¡± Shu Yu turned her head again and saw Doctor Zhao, who used to be gentle, polite, and extremely patient when treating people, was now pushed to the ground. A few children surrounded him, laughing and jumping around, calling him a big fool while pulling his clothes, and even spitting at him. Doctor Zhao, on the other hand, was stunned for a moment. He then covered his face and began to cry. As he cried, he waved his hands and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t hit me, don¡¯t eat me. I¡¯m not delicious, sob¡­¡± He had been holding a piece of bread in his hand, but it was snatched away by two children. He felt extremely aggrieved, ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Give it back to me. I¡¯m begging you. Give it back to me.¡± Shu Yu was stunned. She never thought that the easy-going Doctor Zhao would become like this. Did Young Master Meng know? Where was Young Master Meng? Lu Erbai couldn¡¯t possibly just watch the doctor who had saved him become like this and still be bullied by others. Naturally, Shu Yu couldn¡¯t either. Seeing that Lu Erbai was about to go over, Shu Yu stopped him, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± She jumped down from the carriage and ran directly to the children. Her face darkened as she shouted, ¡°Stop, or I¡¯ll throw you all into the river.¡± When Shu Yu¡¯s face was stern, she did look quite scary. The children looked at each other, took the bread, and ran away. After everyone had left, Shu Yu squatted and looked at the person in front of her. She called him in a low voice, ¡°Doctor Zhao, Doctor Zhao?¡± Doctor Zhao covered his face and curled up into a ball. His stomach was growling. Shu Yu paused, turned around, and walked to Madam Ruan¡¯s side. She took out a piece of pastry from the basket. She had just bought them for Dahu and Sanya to eat. Shu Yu returned to Doctor Zhao¡¯s side and handed the pastry over, ¡°Doctor Zhao, this is for you.¡± Doctor Zhao raised his head in a daze and carefully sized up Shu Yu. Then, he suddenly reached out and snatched the pastry over, taking a few fierce bites. Shu Yu opened her mouth and was about to ask him something, but Doctor Zhao seemed to be afraid that the pastry in his hand would be snatched away again. He quickly hugged it when he was halfway through eating, then got up and ran away without looking back. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Shu Yu was stunned for a moment. Then, she turned around and said to Lu Erbai and the rest, ¡°Dad, mum, get in the carriage first. I¡¯ll go and take a look. I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡± Lu Erbai stuck his head out, ¡°Be careful.¡± Shu Yu had already rushed out. Fortunately, Doctor Zhao was not running fast and even bumped into people from time to time, so she caught up with him very quickly. Doctor Zhao noticed that someone was following him and became increasingly nervous. It didn¡¯t take long for him to enter an alley. When Shu Yu turned the corner and caught up with him, she heard Doctor Zhao banging on the door of a small courtyard and shouting in horror, ¡°Open the door, Ah Yun, open the door. There are bad people. Bad people are chasing me and trying to kill me. I¡¯m so scared.¡± Shu Yu could only stop in her tracks and explain helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m not a bad person, and I¡¯m not¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the door of the courtyard was opened, and a figure that Shu Yu was also familiar with walked out. Young¡­ Young Master Meng? To think he was here as well. As soon as the door opened, Doctor Zhao slipped into the courtyard under Meng Yuncheng¡¯s arm and grabbed his clothes in fear. He poked his head out from the latter¡¯s side while sizing up Shu Yu. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Meng Yunzheng Chapter 76: Meng Yunzheng Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio As soon as Doctor Zhao dodged, Meng Yunzheng naturally saw Shu Yu, who was standing outside the door. A look of surprise flashed across his face as he sized her up in perplexity. Shu Yu knew that Meng Yunzheng had recognized her. She covered her face, but it was too late for her to turn around and leave. She sighed and raised her hand to greet him, ¡°Young Master Meng, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± Meng Yunzheng nodded and greeted her with a gentle smile on his face. He then turned to the side and made a ¡°please come in¡± gesture. Shu Yu hesitated for a moment, but still went in. The courtyard was small, not very big. Shu Yu sized it up for a while, then turned her head, wanting to ask what was going on with Doctor Zhao. She didn¡¯t expect to see Meng Yunzheng make a gesture to Doctor Zhao, patted his head, and ask him to go in with a smile. Shu Yu looked at the scene and felt her mind go blank. A bad feeling welled up in her heart. ¡°Young Master Meng, you ¡­¡± Meng Yunyun remained the same and didn¡¯t seem to mind. He pointed at his throat and waved his hand, his meaning particularly obvious. Shu Yu was stunned. Young Master Meng couldn¡¯t speak anymore? His beautiful voice was gone just like that? ¡°What¡¯s going on? Doctor Zhao has become like this, and you¡­¡± A year ago, one of them was a brilliant doctor who helped patients all over the world, and the other was a talented and handsome man. But now, one was retarded and the other was mute. They had also lost a lot of weight and were in worse condition than her. Meng Yunzheng smiled, turned around, and entered the door. Then, he took a piece of paper and started to write. ¡°There was an accident. Why is Miss Shu here?¡± Shu Yu knew that he didn¡¯t want to explain the reason, and coincidentally, she couldn¡¯t say her reasons either. So, she only said, ¡°I had an accident too. I happened to see Doctor Zhao just now, so I chased after him. Young Master Meng, just take it as¡­ you didn¡¯t see me today, okay?¡± Meng Yunyun was silent for a moment, then nodded with a smile. Although Shu Yu had not known him for a long time, she more or less knew that he was a man of his word. Since he had already agreed, he naturally would not say anything. However, Meng Yunzheng quickly wrote another line, ¡°Miss Shu, please pretend that you didn¡¯t see us today as well.¡± Shu Yu agreed. Seeing that it was getting late, she had to leave. Just now, she was worried that something might happen to Doctor Zhao, but since he was with Young Master Meng, she could relax. Young Master Meng obviously did not want to have too much to do with her, so Shu Yu decided to treat today¡¯s meeting as an accident. She prepared to leave, ¡°I¡¯m leaving. If Young Master Meng and Doctor Zhao encounter any difficulties and need help, you can let me know. Although I can¡¯t be of much help, I¡¯ll try my best.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for Doctor Zhao¡¯s brilliant medical skills, she might not have been able to stand here in good health. She was a good child who knew how to repay kindness, after all. However, Meng Yunzheng shook his head, indicating that he didn¡¯t need it. Shu Yu understood and turned to walk out of the courtyard. However, when she reached the door, she couldn¡¯t help but turn back and look at Meng Yunzheng¡¯s smiling face. She said softly, ¡°Young Master Meng, you¡­If you don¡¯t feel happy, you don¡¯t have to keep smiling. This smile is a little fake.¡± After she said that, she quickly ran off. The courtyard door closed again, and the smile on Meng Yunzheng¡¯s face slowly faded. He touched his face. Was his smile very fake? Yet, the others couldn¡¯t tell and all said that his smile was like a spring breeze. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: An Unexpected Evaluation Chapter 77: An Unexpected Evaluation Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Meng Yunzheng was surprised to hear Shu Yu¡¯s evaluation. He turned his head and looked at Doctor Zhao. The latter was eating the other half of the pastry with his head tilted. When he saw him looking over, he giggled. Then, he heavily nodded. Meng Yunzheng¡¯s face darkened and he went straight into the room. On the other side, Shu Yu had already returned to the entrance of the clinic. Lu Erbai and the others were waiting for her anxiously. Seeing that she had returned, all of them heaved a sigh of relief. When Shu Yu got on the carriage, Lu Erbai asked impatiently, ¡°How did it go? Did you catch up with Doctor Zhao? Is he alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad, Doctor Zhao is fine. Someone is taking care of him. He accidentally ran out today, that¡¯s why he was bullied. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± She promised Meng Yunzheng not to reveal his existence, so Shu Yu naturally kept her mouth shut. Lu Erbai was slightly relieved. He asked again, ¡°Then how did he become like this?¡± Shu Yu shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. The other party has something he can¡¯t tell me, so I can¡¯t ask too much.¡± Lu Erbai nodded, ¡°Makes sense.¡± Lu Sanzhu didn¡¯t know who Doctor Zhao was. Seeing that there were no more problems, he urged, ¡°Alright, alright. Since he has someone to take care of him, let¡¯s not bother about him. Second brother, let¡¯s quickly set off back. Mum and the others are all waiting at home. After such a long delay, she will be worried.¡± Lu Erbai couldn¡¯t help but glare at him. However, at the thought of his mother and the two children at home, he was also eager to return. Shu Yu told the coachman to set off and return to Shangshi Village. They traveled very slowly on the road. Lu Erbai¡¯s legs couldn¡¯t take too much jolting, so by the time they reached the village, the sky had already darkened. The old lady and the twins waited for them earnestly, almost thinking that something had happened to them. When the carriage stopped at the Lu family¡¯s main entrance, the old lady hurriedly came out to welcome them. ¡°Why are you back so late? Did something happen on the way?¡± Lu Erbai smiled, ¡°No, the carriage traveled slowly on purpose because of my leg. I¡¯ve made you wait for a long time. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go in first.¡± Under Shu Yu¡¯s gaze, Lu Sanzhu carried Lu Erbai down from the carriage without complaint. The old lady clicked her tongue. Did Erya have something on Sanzhu? He was so obedient. The house was already tidied up, so Lu Erbai was sent to his room to rest. The old lady saw that they were tired from the journey and quickly asked them to sit down, ¡°The noodles are ready. I¡¯ll cook it now. It¡¯ll be ready in a while. Just sit first.¡± Madam Ruan quickly stood up, ¡°Mother, let me help you.¡± Madam Ruan felt quite guilty in front of the old lady. At this point, she had learned what Old Lady Ruan had been planning and thus hated her family to death. From now on, she only had her in-law¡¯s family and no maternal family. The old lady glanced at her, nodded with a serious face, and went to the kitchen. When Lu Sanzhu heard that there were noodles to eat, he was naturally unwilling to leave. If it wasn¡¯t for Shu Yu¡¯s ¡°stern gaze¡± at the side, he would have already gone back to call his wife and child over to eat as well. A few bowls of noodles were served. Lu Sanzhu looked at the oil on the surface and felt even smugger. It seemed that he would be a regular guest at his second brother¡¯s house in the future. The dining table was set up in the room. Lu Erbai was also holding a bowl of noodles. Looking at the satisfied faces of his family, he felt his heart squeeze. This was great. It was great that the whole family was together. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Meeting the Eldest Uncles Wife Chapter 78: Meeting the Eldest Uncle¡¯s Wife Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The old lady discussed with Lu Erbai as she ate, ¡°Since you¡¯re back, we should bring up the matter of Erya coming back and getting to know her relatives. It just so happened that the eldest daughter-in-law had returned from her mother¡¯s house with her children. Tomorrow, we should invite those families over for a visit. Third brother, when you¡¯re done eating, go and tell Dasong¡¯s family. Don¡¯t go missing again tomorrow.¡± Lu Sanzhu slurped on his noodles and nodded perfunctorily, ¡°Got it.¡± As long as there was food, it was not a big deal to run errands. The old lady felt speechless just seeing him like this. She quickly looked away and said to Lu Erbai, ¡°I¡¯ve also sent someone to tell your sister¡¯s family. It¡¯s the same for Daya. Speaking of which, we haven¡¯t seen her for a long time. When she comes back tomorrow, let her stay at home for the night, so that she doesn¡¯t have to work again when she goes back. She can also rest at home and not be tired out.¡± At the mention of Daya¡¯s hard life, Madam Ruan lost her appetite for the oily noodles. Lu Erbai, on the other hand, frowned, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s great if Daya comes back to stay. However, there are only two rooms in the house. I¡¯m afraid there isn¡¯t enough space.¡± It was still fine in the past, but now Erya was back. Daya was also married, so if she wanted to stay the night, they couldn¡¯t just drive Zhang Shu back, right? Unexpectedly, the old lady said, ¡°Why not? I¡¯ll go over to Dasong¡¯s house and let Daya and Erya stay here. The two sisters can have a good chat too. As for Zhang Shu, since our houses are not far from each other, it¡¯s the same to let him go back first.¡± When Sanya heard this, she quickly raised her head, swallowed the noodles in her mouth, and said, ¡°Me! And me! The three of us sisters want to talk.¡± Dahu subconsciously wanted to say something, but when he remembered that he was not a sister, he sighed and continued eating his noodles. The old lady smiled ¡°Alright, you three have a good chat.¡± In the past, she had felt sorry for the Zhang family and Zhang Shu because she felt that it was Daya¡¯s belly that had failed to live up to expectations, causing the Zhang family to not have an heir even now. However, she had now been successfully brainwashed by Shu Yu. Since Daya and her husband had yet to see a doctor, the old lady felt that it must be Zhang Shu¡¯s problem for their inability to conceive a child after two years of marriage. With such thoughts in mind, even if Zhang Shu was honest and willing to work, the old lady still found him a little unpleasant to the eye. She snorted coldly, and Lu Erbai didn¡¯t say anything more. He did hope that Daya could have a good rest when she came back. With that decided, the old lady carried the plates and chopsticks back to the kitchen in satisfaction. Talking about the problem with accommodation, Shu Yu thought of the problem of building a new room again. This matter was rather urgent and had to be brought up on the agenda as soon as possible. After she met her relatives tomorrow, the renovation could start. That night, the entire family went to bed early. Perhaps it was because there were fewer things to worry about, but their mental conditions were much better. Thus, the next morning, when Lu Dasong brought his wife, Madam Li, over to help, Madam Li, who had not seen Madam Ruan and the others for a few days, was clearly stunned. It had only been a few days, and although Madam Ruan was still as thin and weak as before, she looked different. She looked¡­ radiant. It seemed that with Erya¡¯s return, the second brother¡¯s family was really becoming different. This was the first time Madam Li had seen Shu Yu. She looked at the latter¡¯s fair and clean face, her tall figure. She was as pretty as a flower. One could tell at a glance that she had been well brought up. Madam Li felt sour. With this, Erya was the prettiest among the Lu family. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Erya Cant be So Lazy Chapter 79: Erya Can¡¯t be So Lazy Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu stepped forward and greeted her eldest uncle and his wife, then welcomed the two into the central room. Madam Li had just sat down when the old lady came over and snorted, ¡°What are you sitting for? Didn¡¯t you come here early in the morning to help? Do you really take yourself as a guest? Come with me to the kitchen to pick some vegetables.¡± Madam Li¡¯s expression immediately turned ugly, but she didn¡¯t say much. After informing Lu Dasong, she went to the kitchen. Lu Dasong went into the house to see Lu Erbai. Shu Yu poured him a glass of water, then went to the backyard to boil medicine for Lu Erbai. The medicine on Lu Erbai¡¯s leg had to be changed every day, and only Shu Yu was better at this. Madam Li entered the kitchen and only saw the old lady and Madam Ruan. Even Sanya was there, but she didn¡¯t see Shu Yu follow in. She immediately felt uncomfortable and said sourly, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Erya coming in to help? We have to entertain the guests, but she¡¯s hiding. A lady can¡¯t be too lazy.¡± The old lady abruptly stood up and glared at her, ¡°Who are you calling lazy? If you don¡¯t want to do it, go back home. Why are you being so sarcastic? Don¡¯t make things difficult for yourself. Erya is obedient and diligent. I didn¡¯t let her into the kitchen. Do you have a problem with that?¡± The old lady did not lie about this. Erya was too honest and not stingy at all when entertaining guests. If Erya were to be allowed to cook, the old lady could guarantee that Madam Li and the others would want to have dinner after lunch. The old lady vowed to prevent such things from happening. Their family was in a difficult time now, so they should save as much as they could. Besides, didn¡¯t they usually eat like this? Madam Li didn¡¯t dare to refute her mother-in-law, but she still felt that Shu Yu had retained the air of a young miss even though she had returned home. The old lady did not care what she thought. On the contrary, she felt that Erya had seen the world and knew more than them. The girl was doing big things! How could she be confined to the stove? Not long after, Lu Sanzhu came over with Madam Liang. Madam Li was very shocked. She looked up at the sky. The sun had not risen from the west. The third brother and his wife would usually rush over only when it was time for dinner. Once they arrived, they would take the bowls and chopsticks to the table and eat straight away. Then, they would leave after eating and would never help. To think they were here so early today. Madam Liang even rolled up her sleeves and came in to help, looking very energetic. ¡°Mother, eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, I am here. What do I need to do? Just tell me. ¡± The old lady glanced at her. Well, Sanzhu must have told her about Erya¡¯s abilities. It was rare for her to be so diligent. She handed the latter a basket of vegetables, ¡°Take it to the river to wash.¡± Madam Liang responded and left happily. The old lady looked at her three troublesome daughters-in-law. She was not satisfied with all three of them. Her eldest daughter-in-law was hypocritical and petty. She would smile on the surface but play dirty tricks in the dark. Her second daughter-in-law was timid and had no opinions of her own, and even had a vicious maternal family. Her third daughter-in-law was lazy, spoiling the child so much that he was out of control, and even the child¡¯s father couldn¡¯t control him. However, no matter how much she disliked them, she could not return them. The old lady thought about it as she walked out of the kitchen. She saw Daniu coming over. Daniu held a fish in his hand and smiled. ¡°Grandma, this is for you. I just went to the river to catch it. It¡¯s still alive and kicking. We can have an extra dish for lunch.¡± The old lady was all smiles. ¡°My gosh, my eldest grandson is so capable. Come, give me the fish and quickly go back to change your clothes. Look at how wet you are. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Dahu came out from behind Daniu, also drenched. The old lady urged him to change his clothes as well. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Eldest Uncle Lus Family Chapter 80: Eldest Uncle Lu¡¯s Family Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Dahu changed into a clean set of clothes and the shoes that Shu Yu bought for him the other day. He came out happily. When Daniu came over again, he came with his younger siblings. When he passed by Lu Sanzhu¡¯s house, he called over Dabao and his sister, who had just woken up, as well. Lu Dasong had four children in total. The eldest was a daughter named Cuihua, the second was Daniu, the third was Lanhua, and the fourth was Erniu. Cuihua had not come over yet. She was twenty this year, the oldest of all the girls. She had married a few years ago and her child was already four years old. She was probably on her way here now. Daniu was one year older than Daya and had been engaged earlier, originally planning to get married two years ago. However, something happened to the girl he was engaged to. Her mother died of illness and she had to be in mourning for three years. This year, the mourning period was finally over, and they planned to get married at the end of the year. Lanhua was the same age as Shu Yu and was already looking for a husband. Erniu was ten years old this year and was also the youngest in his family, so he was at his most lively and active time. Lu Sanzhu had a son and a daughter. The eldest son was the little fatty, Dabao, whom Shu Yu had met the other day. The youngest daughter, Baoya, had just turned three years old. She was usually locked up at home and did not know anything. When the children from the two families arrived, the Lu family instantly became lively. Daniu, Erniu, Dabao, and Baoya all went to see Lu Erbai. Lanhua, on the other hand, took the initiative to go into the kitchen to help. Madam Li was immediately unhappy and waved her hand to chase her away, ¡°We don¡¯t need you here. Your sister Erya hasn¡¯t even entered the kitchen. What are you doing here? Go out and play.¡± The old lady glared at Madam Lee, but her expression towards her granddaughter was much better, ¡°There are enough people in the kitchen. It¡¯s only this big anyhow. Go out and talk to your sister Erya.¡± Then, she drove Sanya out as well. Lanhua didn¡¯t want to work either. She came over and held Sanya¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Take me to sister Erya.¡± Sanya went to wipe her hands and pulled Lanhua out, ¡°Sister Lanhua, you haven¡¯t met my second sister, have you? My second sister is very beautiful and knows everything. She¡¯s awesome. My second sister even said that she would remove the scar on my face and turn me into a little beauty. Since my second sister returned, our whole family is so happy. I even wake up laughing in my dreams at night.¡± Lanhua looked at Sanya in surprise. This little girl, who was usually quiet and timid, and would shrink in a corner even if she went to her house, had actually said so much today, and her eyes were even shining. Lanhua was even more curious about Erya. She held Sanya¡¯s hand and headed to the courtyard. Then, she happened to see Shu Yu standing there talking to Daniu and the others. Putting her looks aside, just the confident and calm aura that Shu Yu exuded far surpassed all the other girls in the Lu family. Even the eldest grandson of the Lu family, Daniu, was a little reserved and nervous in front of her. It was as if she was the most promising child in the entire Lu family. Lanhua looked at herself again. In fact, she had also worn a new set of clothes today, but compared to Shu Yu, she looked fat, dark, and ugly. As for her hairstyle, she had worked on it for a long time this morning. She had combed it into the most popular hairstyle in town recently, and she had used a headdress flower. In contrast, Erya only had two simple braids and a wooden hairpin on her head, yet she was more beautiful than the young ladies in the town she had seen. For some reason, Lanhua did not want to go forward, but Sanya had already let go of her hand and ran forward. ¡°Second sister, I¡¯ve brought Sister Lanhua.¡± Shu Yu looked up and saw a girl standing not far away, who seemed to want to shrink back. Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Guarantee Youve Never Had it Before Chapter 81: Guarantee You¡¯ve Never Had it Before Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Almost without thinking, Shu Yu could tell what Lanhua was thinking from her behavior. She took a few steps forward and stood in front of the girl. Then, she smiled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re Lanhua, right? I was just wondering why I didn¡¯t see you. Come in, have a seat, and rest for a while.¡± Lanhua subconsciously followed her into the central room. Dabao and Erniu were already quarreling in the central room. At this moment, the old lady came in with a fruit platter. She shouted at them, ¡°Alright, alright, stop quarreling. Come and eat something. Quiet down.¡± Shu Yu looked at the peanuts and chestnuts served by the old lady, as well as the sour wild fruits picked from the mountain. She could not help but smack her forehead. Third Lu hurriedly ran out of the house with his daughter in his arms. When he saw the fruit platter, he was stunned, ¡°Mother, is this all you¡¯re giving us? Where are the pastries? Where¡¯s the candy?¡± When he followed Shu Yu to the county yesterday, he saw with his own eyes that she had bought those things. Why weren¡¯t they used to entertain guests? Wasn¡¯t this a little too much? The old lady sneered, ¡°It¡¯s good enough that there¡¯s food to eat. Don¡¯t you see how difficult your second brother¡¯s life is? You still want to eat pastries and sweets? In your sweet dreams.¡± Lu Sanzhu opened his mouth and wanted to say that Shu Yu was rich. However, when he looked up, he saw Shu Yu, and the latter revealed a bright smile. Lu Sanzhu suddenly shuddered. She had the same smile when she went to the Ruan family. He didn¡¯t dare to provoke her. Lu Sanzhu stuffed Baoya into Lanhua¡¯s arms and said, ¡°Help me look after Baoya.¡± Then, he escaped by saying he needed to go to the toilet. Lanhua was stunned for a moment. It was not until Baoya, who was in her arms, struggled to reach for the fruit platter on the table that she came to her senses and gave the toddler a piece of fruit. Baoya took a bite, and it was so sour that her whole body trembled. Then, she threw the fruit in her hand to the ground and began to cry. Lanhua hurriedly coaxed her, ¡°Baoya, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry.¡± Sanya looked up and held Baoya¡¯s hand, ¡°Baoya, don¡¯t cry. Look, look at my shoes. My second sister bought them for me. They¡¯re new. Don¡¯t they look good?¡± Baoya cried even harder. Sanya looked at Shu Yu helplessly. She felt the urge to cry as well. Shu Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry. She patted Sanya¡¯s head and said to Baoya, ¡°If you don¡¯t cry, I¡¯ll give you something good to eat later.¡± Baoya stopped, blinked, and asked, ¡°Is it¡­ Is it sweets?¡± As expected of Lu Sanzhu¡¯s daughter, she remembered her father¡¯s words very clearly. However, when the other people present heard the conversation between the two, they all turned their heads to look at Shu Yu. Even Erniu and Dabao rushed over. Dabao used to be fierce to her, but now he had completely forgotten about their past grudges. His chubby little face trembled. Shu Yu laughed, ¡°It¡¯s even more delicious than sweets. I guarantee you¡¯ve never had it before.¡± Shu Yu had indeed bought pastries and candy and was prepared to serve the guests today. However, the old lady also said that there was only so much food. The fourth aunt and Daya were not here yet. If they took those out now, these children would probably have finished it at this point. It would be better to wait for everyone to arrive, and the younger ones would each get a little so that everyone could taste some sweetness. Shu Yu felt that what the old lady said made sense, so she had no objections. Upon hearing that there was something more delicious than sweets, Lu Sanzhu, who had left, ran back. He asked excitedly, ¡°What is it? What is it?¡± Shu Yu¡¯s eyelids twitched uncontrollably. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Use Corn Kernels Chapter 82: Use Corn Kernels Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu did as she said. After she finished speaking to Baoya, she went straight to the kitchen. The others immediately followed curiously. Even the steady Daniu followed while pretending to be nonchalant. However, the Lu family¡¯s kitchen was small and narrow. The old lady and the others were already inside. If everyone went in, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to turn around. Shu Yu said to everyone, ¡°You guys can sit in the central room for a while. I¡¯ll bring it over when it¡¯s done. It¡¯ll be quick.¡± She was saying that, but the children¡¯s resistance to food that was more delicious than sweets was too weak. None of them were willing to leave, so they all stopped outside the kitchen. Dahu was fast. He entered the kitchen before Shu Yu and said with a straight face, ¡°Second sister, I¡¯ll help you start the fire.¡± Sanya was a step slower. She pouted and stomped her feet. How could her brother be like this? He didn¡¯t even let her have the job of lighting the fire. Shu Yu found it funny. She walked into the kitchen and instantly received the gazes of the others in the kitchen. Madam Li looked at Shu Yu and then at her daughter at the door. It would have been better if she didn¡¯t make a comparison, but the comparison made her even more upset. ¡°Erya, what are you doing in the kitchen? Your grandma didn¡¯t let you come, saying you don¡¯t know how to cook. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m being bossy, but girls still need to know how to cook. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be hard for them to get married in the future.¡± Although Madam Ruan was timid, she still spoke up unhappily when it came to her daughter, ¡°Erya is very good at cooking. Her food is especially delicious, better than any of us.¡± Madam Liang had already returned. She nodded when she heard this, ¡°That¡¯s true. Sanzhu brought a bowl of noodles back and said that Erya cooked it. I¡¯m still craving that taste even now.¡± Then, she looked at the old lady, ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t we let Erya be the head chef?¡± The old lady did not care about her three daughter-in-law¡¯s infighting. She looked at Shu Yu kindly, ¡°What do you want to do, Erya? Just say it and we¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°I want to make some snacks for everyone to try. Grandma, I need some corn kernels.¡± Corn kernels? What kind of snacks can corn kernels make? Dabao and the others outside the kitchen were very disappointed when they heard this. They had thought that something more delicious than pastries would be made from things like refined flour and pork. Could corn kernels even make a flower? Dabao waved his hand, ¡°This is boring. I¡¯m going to eat the chestnuts and peanuts.¡± Erniu followed him, ¡°I want some too. Don¡¯t finish it all by yourself.¡± ¡°Can I finish such a big pot? I¡¯m not a pig.¡± ¡°You are.¡± The two went back to the central room noisily. Shu Yu ignored them and took the corn kernels from the old lady. They had not started cooking the dishes yet. The Lu family had two stoves. One was currently cooking rice, while the other one was still vacant. Shu Yu asked Dahu to start the fire and then poured some oil. Although the few people in the kitchen were working, they were watching Shu Yu¡¯s movements at the same time. When they saw how much oil she poured, they suddenly felt their hearts tighten. Madam Li muttered, ¡°If you don¡¯t take care of the household, you won¡¯t know how expensive food is. This is too much of a waste.¡± After so many days, the old lady and Madam Ruan were used to Shu Yu¡¯s oil consumption. The oil she was using now was only a little more than her previous cooking. It was fine. After pouring the oil, Shu Yu began to add sugar. This time, even the old lady and Madam Ruan started to feel heartache. After all, sugar was not cheap. However, Shu Yu didn¡¯t put too much in. The taste was relatively light. After stirring it a few times, Shu Yu poured the corn kernel into the oil. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Delicious Popcorn Chapter 83: Delicious Popcorn Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Everyone watched as Shu Yu flipped the corn kernels over and over again. Just this? Could it be that the delicious snacks she was talking about were corn kernels wrapped in oil and sugar and fried? It didn¡¯t look quite appetizing. Lanhua who was at the door couldn¡¯t see the situation at the stove, but when she saw the disappointment and disdain on Madam Li and Madam Liang¡¯s faces, she felt uncertain. Suddenly, there was a cracking sound in the pot. Something jumped out, and it jumped very high. The sound came again and again, giving the people in the kitchen a big shock. At this moment, Shu Yu quickly put the pot lid on. After she did so, the crackling sounds inside became even more obvious. Madam Ruan was a little worried, ¡°Erya, it seems like it¡¯s going to explode. Is it alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blow up the pot,¡± Madam Li said. Madam Liang quietly retreated to the kitchen door and held Baoya in her arms, ready to run away at any time. Shu Yu told Dahu to stop the fire and remove the firewood under the stove. The crackling sound inside had almost stopped, and only then did she open the lid. When everyone saw what was inside, their eyes widened in shock. This¡­ The corn kernels had clearly only covered the bottom of the pot, but they had now filled up half of the big pot. And this smell¡­ It smelled so good. Shu Yu took a popcorn, asked Dahu to come over, and stuffed it into his mouth. Dahu pursed his lips and clenched his little hands in excitement, ¡°It¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s so delicious.¡± ¡°This is called popcorn. It¡¯s from the corn kernel. You¡¯ve never had it before, right?¡± Dahu nodded his head vigorously, ¡°The popcorn from the corn kernels is even more delicious than sweets.¡± Shu Yu laughed, ¡°Go and bring that fruit plate over. We¡¯ll bring it out for everyone to eat.¡± Dahu hurriedly turned around to get the fruit plate. Shu Yu filled the plate, but there was still a lot left. She put the remaining on another plate and handed it to the old lady, ¡°Grandma, this is for you.¡± The old lady waved her hand, ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I don¡¯t eat this. You kids can eat it.¡± On the side, Madam Li and Madam Liang, who had just returned into the kitchen, swallowed their saliva and eagerly looked at the plate of popcorn. Shu Yu immediately stuffed one into the old lady¡¯s and Madam Ruan¡¯s mouths, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a lot? You guys should try my cooking.¡± As soon as the popcorn entered her mouth, the old lady couldn¡¯t help but squint her eyes in happiness. It was crunchy and really delicious. She didn¡¯t expect the corn to be so delicious after being stir-fried with oil and sugar. Shu Yu left a plate for the kitchen and then went out with the fruit plate. As soon as she left, Madam Li and Madam Liang couldn¡¯t wait to take a popcorn each. The old lady snorted coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Erya doesn¡¯t know how to cook? Look at her cooking, which one of you can compare to her?¡± Madam Li was embarrassed, but she did not hesitate to eat the popcorn. As soon as Shu Yu left the kitchen, Baoya pounced on her with drool dripping from her mouth, ¡°I want to eat, I want to eat.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Let¡¯s go to the central room first.¡± Baoya was, after all, only three years old. Shu Yu did not dare to let her eat alone. It was better to watch her when they entered the central room later. Lu Sanzhu appeared out of nowhere again, ¡°Erya, let me help you carry that.¡± He was about to snatch the popcorn after he finished speaking, but Shu Yu smacked his hand. ¡°Try snatching it.¡± Lu Sanzhu laughed dryly and retracted his hand, not daring to move. Lanhua, who was following behind, widened her eyes in shock. Their third uncle was actually afraid of Erya? Her third uncle had always been shameless and even unafraid of their grandmother. Now, with one move from Erya, he was so scared that he didn¡¯t dare to move. Shu Yu first went to Lu Erbai¡¯s room with the popcorn and left some for him and the eldest uncle. Then, she returned to the central room. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Ill Beat You to Death Chapter 84: I¡¯ll Beat You to Death Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Erniu and Dabao had already smelled the fragrance and ran to Shu Yu in unison. ¡°I want to eat it, give it to me!¡± Dabao¡¯s eyes lit up as he shouted and reached out to grab it. Shu Yu immediately turned to Lu Sanzhu, ¡°Third uncle¡­¡± The latter¡¯s eyelids twitched, and he grabbed his son, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Go sit over there. You¡¯ll have your portion.¡± When Lu Sanzhu¡¯s face darkened, Dabao was still quite afraid of him. He could only sit on the stool and whine. Only then did Shu Yu put the popcorn on the table and said to the few of them, ¡°You guys can eat it, but you¡¯re not allowed to snatch or have it all to yourself. If I find out, no one can have any.¡± The children nodded. As soon as Shu Yu turned around, the crowd surrounded the popcorn. Lu Sanzhu was squeezed in the middle of a bunch of children, not feeling embarrassed at all. However, it was good that he was there. He understood Shu Yu¡¯s character very well, so he used his identity as an elder to suppress the few children who were eager to grab and stuff the popcorn into their pockets. He strictly divided a portion to each person, and the rest was placed on a high platform. Daniu and Lanhua were older so they wouldn¡¯t fight over popcorn. Still, they each had a handful of popcorn. The two of them tasted it and couldn¡¯t help but widen their eyes in surprise. This snack was too delicious. If they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn¡¯t have believed that it was made from corn kernels. The noisy children quieted down in an instant. They were talking about the popcorn as they ate. Because of this novel and delicious snack, Dabao and Erniu were simply impressed by Shu Yu. Dabao stuffed himself with popcorn as he asked, ¡°Erya, do you know how to cook anything else?¡± Shu Yu said, ¡°Call me sister.¡± ¡°Sister Erya, do you know how to make anything else?¡± Just like his father, Dabao¡¯s attitude changed very quickly when there was food. ¡°Yes. As long as I have the ingredients, I can make a lot of food,¡± Shu Yu raised her eyebrows at him. ¡°Then, then can you make some for me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shu Yu shook his head and rejected him frankly. Dabao was stunned for a moment. He even forgot to eat the popcorn in his hand. ¡°Why? I¡¯m already calling you sister.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. Who asked you to bully Dahu and Sanya? You had food, but you never shared it with Sanya and the others. You even deliberately came to boast about it and make them hungry. If not for Dahu and Sanya¡¯s magnanimity, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat the popcorn today. Yet you still want to eat good food in the future? I¡¯m not your parents. Why would I spoil you?¡± Dabao was stunned. He looked at the cold and heartless Shu Yu in disbelief. Why? She was his sister. Why wouldn¡¯t she give him food? His mother had clearly said that the older siblings had to give in to the younger ones. When he was at his eldest uncle¡¯s house, other than Erniu who would occasionally quarrel with him, Cuihua, Daniu, and Lanhua would always give in to him. Erniu would also compromise with him in the end. When he went to his maternal grandfather¡¯s house, his cousins had never said such cold and heartless words either. Dabao¡¯s mouth twitched and he immediately lay on the ground without a word. He kicked his legs and cried, ¡°Erya, you¡¯re a bad woman, you money-losing b*tch. If you don¡¯t give me food, I¡¯ll beat you to death! I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± When he started crying, the sound was earth-shattering, and it shocked everyone. Lu Sanzhu subconsciously wanted to help his son, but when he saw that the person who made him cry was Shu Yu, he immediately shrank back and kept quiet. Forget it, forget it. His son would just cry for a while anyway. He would be fine after he was done crying. It was already a blessing that he wouldn¡¯t be hurt. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Let Him Cry! Chapter 85: Let Him Cry! Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Dasong and Lu Erbai, who were talking in the house, also heard the commotion. Lu Dasong immediately came out. Madam Liang, who was in the kitchen, also wanted to rush over, but she was glared at by the old lady, ¡°Your husband is in the central room, what are you going to join in the fun for? Dabao has always cried crocodile tears, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Madam Liang thought about it and found that she was right, so she didn¡¯t go over. After all, she was also worried that the plate of popcorn would be finished by her eldest and second sister-in-law. What Madam Liang didn¡¯t know was that this time, her precious son was really heartbroken. Tears and snot fell like a waterfall. Daniu was, after all, the oldest, and Lanhua had also grown up. Seeing that their father and third uncle could not intervene in the children¡¯s conflict since they were elders, they could only come forward to mediate the situation. However, they had only taken a few steps when they were stopped by Shu Yu. ¡°Let him cry!¡± Cuihua, who had just entered the courtyard with her husband, happened to hear this as soon as she entered the door. The two of them were stunned. They looked at the center of the central room. No one had noticed their arrival. Cuihua saw an unfamiliar girl standing in the middle. She was beautiful, and just by standing there, she was the focus of everyone. Then, she looked at Dabao, who was sitting on the ground and crying. She thought to herself that there must have been a conflict. As the eldest sister, Cuihua naturally wanted to step forward to help mediate. However, before she could say anything, Shu Yu had already squatted and looked at the little fatty, ¡°Since your mouth is so smelly, do you want me to sew it up for you? I¡¯m standing right in front of you, but I won¡¯t cook for you. Come, beat me to death.¡± Dabao widened his eyes and looked at Shu Yu¡¯s cold eyes. For some reason, he felt a little scared. With this fear, his cries became even louder. Lu Sanzhu could see that Shu Yu was angry. He could only laugh dryly, ¡°Erya, Dabao is still young and insensible.¡± ¡°Young? He is already eight years old, but still young? Sanya and Dahu are younger than him, but one knows how to get pigweed, and the other knows how to chop wood. They have never cried and fought just because they couldn¡¯t have a bite of food. What state is the Lu family in? If he wanted to eat deer antlers and bear paws, would you make them appear just because he cried? On top of that, he¡¯s so mean. If he leaves this village, he¡¯ll be beaten to death.¡± Lu Sanzhu immediately didn¡¯t dare to say anything. He didn¡¯t think so in the past, but after seeing the world with Erya, he felt that it was truly possible. Didn¡¯t Erya just use an axe to cut people when they didn¡¯t agree with her? Therefore, he could only try to persuade his son, ¡°Dabao, don¡¯t cry. Your sister Erya is right. We can¡¯t just cry for whatever we want to eat.¡± Dabao did not expect that even his father would not side with him and that his mother would not come over. Everyone in the main room was stopped by Shu Yu. He suddenly realized that no matter how much he cried, he would have nothing to eat since Shu Yu said so. Shu Yu was still squatting in front of him. She said to him word by word, ¡°Either you stop now, or you can continue scolding me, and I¡¯ll get a needle and thread to sew up your mouth. Worse, you can hit me, and I¡¯ll hang you on a tree outside to let everyone laugh at you. If you want me to cook for you, that¡¯s wishful thinking.¡± Dabao was stunned. He wiped his tears and snot with his sleeve and sniffled as he got up. Without another word, he ran out. Everyone was stunned by his sudden action. Daniu was worried and quickly chased after him. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Cuihua Chapter 86: Cuihua Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Only after Daniu reached the door did he notice Cuihua and her husband, Lai Jinhai, standing in the courtyard. Daniu subconsciously stopped and called out happily, ¡°Big sister, big brother-in-law.¡± Cuihua waved her hand, ¡°You go after Dabao first.¡± She then walked into the central room and greeted the people inside. Lu Dasong finally found a chance to speak. He immediately said to Shu Yu, ¡°Erya, this is your sister Cuihua.¡± Shuyu¡¯s face had been cold and distant just a second ago, but her expression changed in an instant. She immediately smiled and greeted her, ¡°So you¡¯re sister Cuihua. Come in and sit. I just made some snacks. Do try them and see if they¡¯re good.¡± Everyone was speechless. Wasn¡¯t the speed at which she changed her attitude a little too fast? Even the person involved, Cuihua, did not come back to her senses for a while. It was not until there was a glass of water in her hand that she laughed. She looked at Shu Yu and sized her up, ¡°You¡¯re Erya, right? It is good that you have returned. Uncle and aunty have been looking for you all these years. Now that they have fulfilled their wish, they can finally be at ease.¡± She did not mention the conflict just now. This kind of conflict between children was not serious, especially since Dabao¡¯s temper was indeed bad. It was Erya¡¯s behavior that surprised Cuihua. Logically speaking, since Erya had just returned, someone normal in her situation would usually put themselves in a very subtle position. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t get into a conflict with their visiting relatives. Usually, even if they were wronged, they would only swallow it and smile. However, Erya did the opposite and refused to be wronged at all. Cuihua couldn¡¯t figure out whether it was a good thing that Erya was back given her personality. However, she was a married cousin. Although she had a good relationship with her second uncle¡¯s family, this kind of thing was really not something she had a say in. Lanhua had been standing behind Cuihua since her eldest sister entered the room. When she saw Shu Yu¡¯s appearance just now, she somehow became somewhat fearful of her. Cuihua was still fine. She was the eldest sister and had always taken care of her younger brothers and sisters. She was also very sympathetic to Erya, her long-lost cousin. She introduced her husband. Cuihua had moved to town after marriage. Her marriage was the best in the Lu family. Lai Jinhai¡¯s family ran a small food shop, but they had many brothers and sisters in the family. They relied on the small shop to make a living, and their days were barely okay. Cuihua did not bring her son over today. She said that he caught a cold two days ago. Although he was much better now, the couple did not dare to take him back and forth, so they simply left him at home. Lai Jinhai wasn¡¯t good with words, but it was obvious that he was very good to Cuihua and had always followed her wishes. Shu Yu and Cuihua chatted for a while and found that the latter had a decisive and open personality, and was very opinionated. It was said that when Cuihua was young, the Lu family had not yet split. As the first girl to be born, and with a grandmother like the old lady who did not value men over women, Cuihua was pampered by everyone when she was young. When she grew up, she naturally took on the responsibility of being the eldest sister. Compared to Lanhua, Shu Yu and Cuihua obviously had more to talk about. However, they didn¡¯t chat for long before Dabao, who had run out, returned. As soon as he entered the door, Dahu and Sanya immediately stood in front of Shu Yu as if they were facing a great enemy. Dabao stopped two steps away. He looked at Shu Yu, then at Dahu and Sanya. A moment later, he stretched out his right hand, and in his short and fat palm, there were a few candied fruits. They didn¡¯t look very good and seemed to have been stored for a long time. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Daya is Here Chapter 87: Daya is Here Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Dabao walked to Sanya and Dahu and said, ¡°This is the candied fruit that I¡¯ve been saving for a long time. I can¡¯t even bear to eat it myself, but I¡¯ll share it with you.¡± Everyone was speechless. Had the Sun risen from the east? To think Dabao took the initiative to share his food! Shu Yu looked at the candied fruit with some disdain. Unexpectedly, in the next moment, Dabao looked up and asked her, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve shared my good things with them, and I won¡¯t bully them in the future, does that mean you can make good food for me?¡± Shu Yu raised her eyebrows, and the others were stunned. ¡°Okay?¡± Dabao asked again, ¡°Look, I¡¯m not crying anymore. I¡¯m not scolding you nor did I hit you. I even shared my candied fruits with them. I did so well, so I should be rewarded.¡± Good my ass. Shu Yu retorted in her heart, but on the surface, she said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know your mistakes and can change. However, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll be able to maintain it in the future, so I¡¯ll have to observe you for a while. If you¡¯ve really become better, I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯ve made something good.¡± Dabao frowned, not satisfied with the result. But forget it, sister Erya had agreed anyway. Without a second word, he gave the candied fruits in his hands to Sanya and Dahu. Seeing the envious Erniu, who was standing at the side, he gave him one as well. The others didn¡¯t get any. After all, they were all adults, and he only had five candied fruits in total. A few children of similar age each took one, and it seemed that the distance between them was shortened. Dahu and Sanya had never hung out with Dabao and were not close to Erniu either. But now, they held hands and ran to the yard together. No one knew what the others were thinking when watching this scene, but the old lady, who had just come out of the kitchen, could not help but wipe her eyes. In the past, Dahu and Sanya only knew how to work and did not go out to play. Dabao only knew how to bully people, and Erniu had always been with his other little friends in the village. Such a scene had never happened before, not even during the new year when the families gathered. The old lady was satisfied. She took a deep breath and walked towards the central room. Cuihua was the first to see her and stood up in a hurry, ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°Cuihua, Jinhai. Sit, sit, sit. We¡¯ll be eating in a while. You guys rest for a while.¡± Cuihua was embarrassed, ¡°I should have gone to the kitchen to help.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need you. We have so many people. We¡¯ve already finished cooking everything,¡± The old lady said. Then, she frowned, ¡°It¡¯s just that it¡¯s almost time to eat. Why haven¡¯t Sixing and Daya come yet?¡± Shu Yu estimated the time and realized it was indeed noon. Logically speaking, Cuihua had a sick child and she lived in town. Even she had arrived, so the others should have come earlier. Just as she was wondering, there was movement at the door. The next moment, Dahu ran in and said excitedly, ¡°Big sister is back.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, everyone turned to look at the door and saw two figures slowly moving toward them. Shu Yu immediately looked at the woman on the left. Her first impression of Daya was that she was thin, so thin that she seemed to be a skeleton that could be blown away by the wind. The old lady had already gone out to welcome her. When she saw Daya, her eyes could not help but redden, ¡°You haven¡¯t been back in a long time. How did you lose so much weight?¡± Daya had been smiling, but when she heard this, she couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips and suppress her sobs, ¡°I didn¡¯t lose weight, grandma. I didn¡¯t.¡± Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Protruding Bones Chapter 88: Protruding Bones Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The old lady felt even more upset. Why was she saying that she had not lost weight? Daya was even slimmer than the last time she saw her, and she looked older too. She couldn¡¯t help but glare at Zhang Shu, who was standing next to Daya, and was obviously blaming him. Zhang Shu looked guilty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, grandma. I¡­ I didn¡¯t take good care of her.¡± Daya quickly changed the topic, ¡°Grandma, where¡¯s Erya? I want to see Erya.¡± The old lady quickly turned to the side and shouted to Shu Yu, who was behind her, ¡°Erya, come quickly. Meet your sister and brother-in-law.¡± Shu Yu walked up to Daya in a few steps. Daya grabbed her hand excitedly and sized her up, ¡°Good, good. Our Erya is safe and sound. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re home. The family is reunited. Don¡¯t leave anymore¡­¡± Shu Yu nodded, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m back, sis.¡± She reached out to hug Daya, only to feel that the body under her hands was almost only left with bones, which was very uncomfortable to the touch. Shu Yu could not help but frown, but Daya quickly let go of her and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go in. We¡¯ll talk inside.¡± Shu Yu looked at her face. There were dark circles and eye bags under her eyes. Her lips were colorless, not to mention her pale face. Looking at her appearance, not to mention that she looked older than Cuihua of the same generation, she even looked older than Madam Li. What kind of life did she have to lead to be in such a poor state? Shu Yu had guessed that Daya¡¯s life was not easy, but she did not expect it to be so difficult. She opened her mouth and stared at Zhang Shu. It was only when Daya held her hand that Shu Yu suppressed the anger in her heart. She held Daya¡¯s hand tightly and they entered the house together. Zhang Shu followed behind, embarrassed. After he went to see Lu Erbai with Daya, he walked to a corner and chatted softly with Daniu and Lai Jinhai. Daya was very concerned about Shu Yu and asked her where she had been all these years, how she had been, and if she had suffered. Shu Yu still said the same words as before, and Daya was relieved to hear that. Not long after, the old lady came over to call for lunch. Lu Sixing still hadn¡¯t come. The old lady was thinking that she might have been delayed by something. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. I¡¯ll leave some food for them. We can¡¯t possibly wait for them with an empty stomach.¡± There were a lot of people, so they set up two tables, one in the central room and one in the kitchen. When the dishes were served, everyone immediately felt like their stomachs were growling. This meal was much more sumptuous than they had imagined. Although the veggie dishes took up a huge portion, there were also fish, meat, and eggs. They didn¡¯t skimp on the oil, which made people drool. The old lady glanced at the crowd, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat.¡± Almost everyone subconsciously reached for the meat dish. Only Daya smiled and reached for the towel gourd that was closest to her. Shu Yu was two seats away from her, but she had been paying attention to her. When they finished eating, she noticed that Daya didn¡¯t eat much. Shu Yu could not help but frown. When they finished eating, Lu Sixing still hadn¡¯t come over. She probably couldn¡¯t come. The old lady was just thinking about whether she should let Daniu make a trip over to take a look when she heard Zhang Shu and Daya come over and say that they were going back. The old lady was stunned, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay over today? Your second sister has just been found, don¡¯t you want to have a good chat with her?¡± Daya wanted to, but¡­ She held the old lady¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°I told my mother-in-law that I would go back early. It¡¯s not good to stay here.¡± Shu Yu looked at Zhang Shu, who was just looking on innocently but did not say anything. Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: A Suitable Shop Chapter 89: A Suitable Shop Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Zhang Shu probably felt Shu Yu¡¯s displeased gaze. He looked up and smiled apologetically at her, then advised Daya, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here today? It¡¯s rare for your family to be reunited, so you should spend more time together.¡± A hint of struggle flashed across Daya¡¯s face, but she quickly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d better go back. Now that Erya is back, it¡¯ll be much more convenient to see you in the future. It¡¯s fine.¡± Shu Yu frowned and was about to step forward when the old lady pulled her back. The old lady shook her head at her, and Shu Yu could only swallow the words that were about to come out of her mouth. In the end, Daya still left. Shu Yu and the others only had time to send them to the door. After a while, Cuihua and her husband also left. They lived far away, and they were worried about the child at home, so they could not stay for too long. Madam Li and Madam n¨¦e Liang helped to clean up and sat for a while before leaving. Soon, only Lu Erbai¡¯s family was left at home. Only then did Shu Yu ask the old lady, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d persuade big sister to stay?¡± The old lady sighed, ¡°I want to, too, but Daya is already in such a state. I¡¯d better not make things difficult for her.¡± She may have said some tough words the day before, saying that she wouldn¡¯t let Daya go. However, when she saw that Daya was in a difficult position, she immediately changed her stance. At the end of the day, Daya was the only one holding up the days in her in-laws¡¯ house. Shu Yu wanted to say, if she couldn¡¯t hold on, then she could opt for a divorce. Zhang Shu looked honest and simple, but he could not protect his wife at all. What was the use of having such a husband? If Daya continued to stay in the Zhang family, she would be tortured to death sooner or later. However, her way of thinking was deviant here, and it would scare Daya to death if she said it. Shu Yu thought to herself that she had to find some time to talk some sense into Daya. If she didn¡¯t want a divorce, then she had to stand up. Never mind that it was still uncertain who among the two was infertile, even if it was really a problem with her body, she still had to manage the Zhang family well so that she could live well. Later that night, Lu Sixing asked someone to send over a dozen eggs with a message: Something happened at home, so I couldn¡¯t come to see Erya. I¡¯ll see you next time. The egg was a gift. Other than Lu Sixing, Madam Li, Cuihua, and even Madam Liang, who had come today, had also brought gifts. In the countryside, the only good things were eggs and the like. Cuihua lived in the town and brought a piece of cloth over. Shu Yu tidied up everything. Now that she had met all her relatives, her shop should also be put on the agenda. Therefore, Shu Yu went to the county the next morning. When the intermediary saw her, he hurriedly came over and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Miss Lu, you¡¯re here. Quickly come in and take a seat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I happened to have something to do in the county today, so I came to take a look. Intermediary Quan, is there any news about the matter I asked you to pay attention to?¡± Intermediary Quan clasped his palms together, ¡°Isn¡¯t it such a coincidence? I was just about to tell you. If Miss Lu isn¡¯t in a hurry, come in first and we can talk slowly.¡± Shuyu entered the shop and Intermediary Quan poured her a glass of water. Then, they started talking about the shop, ¡°According to Miss Lu¡¯s request, there is indeed a suitable shop. However, the rent may be a little expensive, and you have to meet the owner first. The other party also has requirements for what kind of shop to open.¡± This was reasonable, so Shu Yu nodded, ¡°Sure, did the other party say when to meet?¡± ¡°Now is fine. The owner is in the shop. There are two other tenants scheduled to meet the owner at the shop later. If we go now, we might be able to get this shop first.¡± Shu Yu put down her teacup, ¡°Then let¡¯s not delay any longer. Let¡¯s go.¡± Intermediary Quan immediately packed up and led Shu Yu out. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: So it was the Yu Familys Shop Chapter 90: So it was the Yu Family¡¯s Shop Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu asked about the situation as she walked, ¡°What did the shop use to sell? Why have they closed their business?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from Miss Lu. The shop originally sold makeup. It¡¯s Wenlan Town¡¯s Yu family¡¯s shop.¡± Shu Yu stopped in her tracks, ¡°The Yu family?¡± ¡°Yes, this shop was originally managed by Madame Yu, but two days ago, Madame Yu suddenly fell seriously ill and didn¡¯t have the energy to run the shop. Lord Yu doesn¡¯t know much about makeup, and there was also another makeup shop opposite, so the business was average. As such, he decided to simply rent it out. Miss Lu, you¡¯re just lucky.¡± Shu Yu laughed dryly. That¡¯s right, she was lucky. She was the one who caused all those things in the Yu family. It looked like Lord Yu intended to use Madame Yu¡¯s ¡°illness¡± to trap her in the manor. It made sense though. If news of Madame Yu¡¯s adultery were to spread, Lord Yu would lose face. As they spoke, the two of them had already reached Ningshui Street. This street was located in the center of Jiangyuan County. It was wide and clean, and could accommodate three to four carriages traveling side by side. Intermediary Quan took her to the end of the street. Compared to the head of the street and the middle, this place seemed a little more deserted. However, Shu Yu didn¡¯t mind the desolation, because this area was where only those with some wealth in the county would come to. Restaurants, makeup stores, banks, and fabric shops were all not far from here. ¡°Miss Lu, this is the place. Come in.¡± Shu Yu followed him into the door. The makeup store had not been completely cleared out. Intermediary Quan said that the slightly better makeup products had long been bought at a low price by the shops across the street who heard the news. The Yu family¡¯s shop wasn¡¯t very big. There was a small courtyard at the back, and it was tiny with only two small rooms and a kitchen. At this moment, the Yu family¡¯s butler was in the small courtyard instructing the servants to throw away all the bedding and furniture in the room. Looking at his disdainful face, it seemed¡­ Shu Yu wondered if this shop was one of the places where Madame Yu had a tryst with her lover. The butler turned around when he heard the commotion. Intermediary Quan came forward and said a few words. The butler turned his gaze to Shu Yu, ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants to rent the shop?¡± Shu Yu smiled, ¡°Yes, our family wants to start a small business, so we asked Intermediary Quan to help us keep an eye out.¡± ¡°The rent for our shop is not cheap. It costs this much,¡± The butler stretched out his hand and gestured a number. Let alone Shu Yu, even Intermediary Quan was shocked. This small shop cost five taels of silver a month? That was a bit of a scam. The rent for the shops around here only asked for three or four taels of silver. Shu Yu felt that the Yu family was killing pigs. From the way the butler acted, they didn¡¯t seem to want to rent it to her either. It seemed that the two tenants that were coming later were more powerful. They had even revealed the rent they were willing to pay. Shu Yu was silent for a moment. Just as Intermediary Quan was trying to mediate and help bargain, she looked up again and said to the butler, ¡°The rent is indeed a little expensive, but the location of this shop is very rare. I really like it.¡± Intermediary Quan was anxious as he thought to himself, ¡°Gosh, Miss Lu, you can¡¯t lower the price like this. You even told him that you like the place a lot. Wouldn¡¯t that mean that we won¡¯t even be able to negotiate a single coin?¡± Didn¡¯t she see the butler¡¯s smug expression? At this time, she should pretend as if she wanted to leave. As expected, Miss Lu was still too young. He had been deceived by her overly calm and composed expression, thus thinking that she had long matured. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Get it at the Lowest Price Chapter 91: Get it at the Lowest Price Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio However, the next moment, Shu Yu said, ¡°The money is not easy to get, so I have to go back and discuss this with my parents. I¡¯ll see if I can find a way to borrow some from my relatives and friends. After all, we need capital for future business too.¡± Intermediary Quan facepalmed while Butler Yu was getting impatient. He was just about to say that if she couldn¡¯t pay the rent, he wouldn¡¯t consider her. Just then, Shu Yu said, ¡°Butler Yu, can you wait for me for a while? I live in Shangshi Village, not far from here. I¡¯ll be back in the afternoon.¡± Butler Yu¡¯s hand paused, ¡°Shangshi Village?¡± Shu Yu put on an innocent expression, ¡°That¡¯s right. I promise it won¡¯t take more than two hours to make a roundtrip.¡± Butler Yu frowned. He had personally investigated the matter of the Ruan family¡¯s old lady colluding with the steward to buy and sell a pair of twins. He also knew that the twins were from Shangshi Village. Butler Yu suddenly recalled Intermediary Quan¡¯s introduction and asked hesitantly, ¡°Are you surnamed Lu?¡± Shu Yu nodded, ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a pair of twins with the surname Lu in Shangshi Village. Do you know them?¡± Shu Yu immediately took a step back alertly, ¡°Why do you want to know about twins? You¡­ Could it be that the Yu family still hasn¡¯t given up on the idea of taking my younger brother and sister away? I¡¯ve heard that Lord Yu didn¡¯t know about this and even went to smash the Ruan family¡¯s residence. Isn¡¯t this matter already in the past?¡± Butler Yu looked at her with a complicated expression. So those twins were her younger brother and sister. After a long while, he sighed and said, ¡°Miss Lu, let¡¯s sit down and talk about the rental of the shop.¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t budge, ¡°Butler Yu, renting the shop has nothing to do with my younger brother and sister. I do like the location of this shop, but I won¡¯t trade them for it. I thought that these were two different things, so after I found out from Intermediary Quan that this shop belonged to the Yu family, I thought that these two matters wouldn¡¯t be mixed up. After all, we don¡¯t know each other, and both families are innocent victims. But if you have any ideas about my family, I¡­ I won¡¯t rent your shop.¡± ¡°Miss Lu,¡± Seeing that Shu Yu was about to leave, Butler Yu hurriedly stopped her and said helplessly, ¡°Miss Lu, please calm down and listen to me first. Our Lord really doesn¡¯t know about this. The rumors of him wanting to adopt a pair of twins are false. He was being framed! Who knew that the Ruan family would take the opportunity to harm your family? Regarding this matter, it¡¯s indeed in the past.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Butler Yu nodded his head sincerely, ¡°Really.¡± Intermediary Quan listened from the side and gained a grasp of the situation. He was an intermediary, after all, and was well-informed. Although Lord Yu lived in town, how could he not know that the Lord had sent people to destroy a farmer¡¯s house? What he didn¡¯t know was that the rumored twins were Miss Lu¡¯s younger brother and sister. When Intermediary Quan saw that Butler Yu¡¯s attitude had softened, he knew that this was a good opportunity and quickly persuaded Shu Yu. Shu Yu took the cue and quickly sat down with Butler Yu in a room that had been tidied up. ¡°Miss Lu, I¡¯m sorry for just now. I intentionally raised the rent a little, mainly because you¡¯re still young and I was afraid that you were just messing around. Now that I know about your family¡¯s situation, let¡¯s have a proper talk. According to the market price here, our shop¡¯s rent is worth about three taels of silver.¡± Intermediary Quan¡¯s mouth twitched. Three taels of silver were the lowest price. Unexpectedly, Butler Yu continued, ¡°Of course, Miss Lu can still bargain.¡± Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Rent the Shop Chapter 92: Rent the Shop Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Quan Zhong looked at Butler Yu in shock. Was there still room for bargaining? In contrast, Shu Yu¡¯s face was full of pleasant surprise, and she was trying hard to control her expression. She pursed her lips, coughed lightly, and said, ¡°Three taels of silver¡­ To be honest, it¡¯s still a little difficult for farmers like us to afford that. After all, we¡¯re not sure if we¡¯ll be able to make money in the early stages of the store opening, and the rent of the store is a fixed expense. Hmm¡­¡± She pondered for a moment, then looked up and asked carefully, ¡°Butler Yu, how about this ¨C I¡¯ll pay half a year¡¯s rent in one go, so can you give me a cheaper price? Two, two taels?¡± The veins on Intermediary Quan¡¯s forehead twitched as he thought to himself, ¡°Miss Lu, you really dare to say that. Two taels of silver? Why don¡¯t you just rob someone?¡± In addition, the rents of Jiangyuan County¡¯s shops were generally paid for a whole year. Some cheaper ones even required one to pay for three years straight in one go. She wanted to pay for half a year only, yet she still had the nerve to bargain so ruthlessly? Intermediary Quan was worried that Shu Yu¡¯s insensibility would make Butler Yu unhappy and drive them out. He wanted to laugh it off. However, after Butler Yu¡¯s expression froze for a moment, he nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± Shu Yu was speechless. She had been too hasty and offered too high a rent. She felt extremely regretful, but on the surface, she looked very happy, ¡°So¡­ So it¡¯s a deal? Can we sign the lease now?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Butler Yu asked Intermediary Quan to prepare the lease, which would require signatures from all three parties. In the meantime, Butler Yu suddenly remembered something, ¡°Pardon me for asking, Miss Lu, but what kind of shop do you intend to open?: If it was a grocery store, then forget it. Opening a grocery store in this area would definitely be unprofitable. Shu Yu said, ¡°A ready-to-wear clothes shop.¡± ¡°A ready-to-wear clothes shop?¡± Butler Yu was stunned. He suddenly had a feeling that the business might be even more unprofitable than he thought. Shu Yu smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Butler Yu. We¡¯ll take good care of the shop. Also, I just looked at the layout of the shop. There won¡¯t be any big changes, but some cabinets might need to be moved.¡± Was that what he was worried about? Still, Butler Yu was only a butler, and he didn¡¯t know much about business. Besides, as long as this shop wasn¡¯t selling things like incense and joss paper, he wouldn¡¯t stop them. Intermediary Quan quickly brought the lease over and let both parties sign it. Shu Yu paid twelve taels of silver for the rent and five taels of silver as a deposit on the spot. With this, she had lost seventeen taels of silver in one go. Her heart ached. After the matter was settled, Butler Yu did not want to stay any longer. It just so happened that he had ridden everything that needed to be thrown away in the shop, so he planned to return to town. After taking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something, ¡°Oh right, Miss Lu, there are still some makeup products left in the shop. I don¡¯t know if you need them, but I can leave them all for you.¡± Either way, the Lord had asked him to deal with those things. If he could sell them, then he would. If he couldn¡¯t, he didn¡¯t want to bring them back either. In fact, Shu Yu needed the makeup very much. She was a stylist, so she did have a large demand for makeup. But just now, Intermediary Quan had said that the better goods had all been bought by the shop opposite. The customers she targeted were the rich. She might ruin her reputation if she used this kind of makeup. That being said, the makeup products sold by the Yu family were still of passable quality. Even if they were slightly inferior, farmer families from Shangshi Village might not be able to afford them. She could take them back and use them as gifts. Shu Yu nodded, ¡°Butler Yu, you¡¯re such a good person.¡± Butler Yu chuckled, ¡°Miss Lu, isn¡¯t it a little too late for you to be flattering me now that the lease has been signed?¡± Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Buying a Carriage Chapter 93: Buying a Carriage Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu followed Butler Yu to take a look at the remaining makeup products. To be honest, they were quite good. Except for a few that were truthfully not very good, the remaining twenty boxes of makeup were better than the ones Cuihua and the others bought from the cosmetic shop in town. After Shu Yu thanked him, Butler Yu left with Intermediary Quan who had received the commission. Shu Yu stayed behind to look at the shop. Now, she was the only one left in the shop. She started thinking about how to decorate it according to the layout. After they walked out of the shop, Butler Yu whispered to Intermediary Quan, ¡°You have to keep what happened just now a secret, especially the rent. The Lord knows about her family¡¯s situation, and with such a connection, he knows that her family has been frightened and suffered an unexpected disaster. Never mind if we didn¡¯t meet anyone from their family, but since we have, we will help them as much as we can to calm their nerves. I didn¡¯t waive the rent out of consideration for the little girl¡¯s self-esteem. However, if this matter were to spread, it would inevitably disrupt the market.¡± Intermediary Quan understood tacitly, ¡°I understand, I understand.¡± Butler Yu gave Intermediary Quan a tael of silver and left with a smile. The Yu family didn¡¯t think much about the rent of one shop. If it was possible, the Lord even wanted to sell the shop. However, he had just announced to the public that Madame Yu was seriously ill. If he eagerly sold the shop she managed, it was inevitable that outsiders would speculate and cause more trouble. It wouldn¡¯t be too late to rent it for a while and sell it after the storm had passed. Moreover, after the Lord heard the words of the Daoist nun, he had been doing good deeds these days. He was especially concerned about children. It was only a given that the butler had to help the twins who had almost been involved since he had bumped into their family. After looking around the shop, Shu Yu was very satisfied. After that, she went to the fabric shop next door to buy some high-quality fabric. Then, she packed up the makeup products she had chosen and prepared to go back. When she passed by the carriage store, Shu Yu paused. She had to buy a carriage. Never mind a horse carriage, but she would at least need a mule carriage. It would be convenient to deliver goods and travel. She had asked around and found that there were not many horses in Jiangyuan County. Good horses were simply out of reach. The rich and powerful would go to the prefecture to buy them. Therefore, the price of a horse here was about fifteen to twenty-five taels. Mules were much cheaper. The lowest was eight taels, and the highest was twelve taels. Shu Yu hesitated for a moment, then turned around and went to the cattle market. An hour later, she pulled a carriage out from inside. The seller stood behind her and sighed, ¡°You¡¯re so good at bargaining.¡± He had thought that he would be able to extort a huge sum of money from her since she looked young and ignorant look. He didn¡¯t expect that the little girl would manage to persuade him to sell the mule, which was originally twelve taels, for eleven taels instead. Not only that but the beautiful and sturdy carriage at the back had also been given to her for an exceptionally low price. For the mule and the carriage, Shu Yu had paid twelve taels only. It was equivalent to the seller giving away such a good carriage for free. Shu Yu was all smiles as she placed everything on the carriage. She lead the mule pulling the carriage all the way out of the city gate, then only did she sit on the shaft and head towards Shangshi Village. She had already learned how to drive a carriage. The first two times she rented a carriage, she had communicated with the coachman and had even tried to drive the carriage herself. Shu Yu was a good student, and the mule was well-behaved, so the journey was smooth. As they arrived at the entrance of Shangshi Village, the carriage attracted the attention of the villagers. In the entire village, there were at most two cows and one donkey. No one had actually bought a mule carriage before. As Shu Yu had rented carriages twice, the villagers thought that she had rented one this time as well. They turned their heads and whispered to each other after taking a look. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: The Lu Family Must be Crazy Chapter 94: The Lu Family Must be Crazy Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Although Shu Yu was far away, a few sarcastic voices suddenly raised their volume. ¡°The Lu family is rich now. Look, not only do they travel to the county every day, but they also rent a mule carriage every time. Why? Is it because their legs are not good or are more precious than ours? Can¡¯t they walk?¡± ¡°What do you know? She¡¯s a girl who had just returned from the city. One look and one can tell that she had never suffered before. She¡¯s just wasting the money she has. Just wait and see, when the money in her hands is finished, won¡¯t she still have to live a hard life?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s been back for so many days, but I haven¡¯t seen her go to the fields, gather pigweed, or even wash clothes by the river. Instead, she goes to the county every day and comes back with all kinds of delicious food.¡± Some people advised, ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop talking. That¡¯s her own business.¡± ¡°Why should I stop? In my opinion, the Lu family should thank Old Lady Ruan. If she hadn¡¯t sold their daughter to a rich man, she might not have been able to live such a good life, let alone come back and cure Second Lu¡¯s leg with so much money, as well as buy them delicious food every day.¡± Shu Yu pulled the reins and the mule stopped immediately. She turned her head to look at the gossiping women and said with a smile, ¡°Since you¡¯ve mentioned Old Lady Ruan, you should have heard about me smashing the Ruan family, right? What¡¯s the matter? Since you¡¯re provoking me in front of my face, do you want me to help you smash your family too?¡± The women choked and didn¡¯t dare to make a sound. How could they have forgotten that this girl could even lay her hands on her own maternal grandmother and uncle? She was truly ruthless. What if she was unhappy and went to their house to smash things too? Shu Yu glanced at them coldly, ¡°Also, I didn¡¯t rent this carriage. I bought it. If you¡¯re unhappy, just hold it in.¡± B-bought it? Had the Lu family gone crazy? Why would they buy a mule carriage? It couldn¡¯t be used to farm or pull the mill. Did they have nothing better to do than keep a mule at home? Shu Yu couldn¡¯t be bothered with them and left in the carriage. However, the news that Second Lu¡¯s family had bought a carriage quickly spread throughout the entire village. Shu Yu had never thought of hiding it. After all, such a thing couldn¡¯t be hidden, not to mention that they were about to open a shop. When she got home, Sanya and Dahu dashed out. ¡°Second sister, you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Sister Erya, you¡¯re back?¡± Dabao followed behind them and ran forward. Shu Yu was speechless. Ha? Was their relationship so good now? Shu Yu got down from the carriage and asked Sanya, ¡°Are mum and grandma at home? ¡± ¡°Mum is boiling medicine for dad, and grandma has gone to eldest uncle¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in and talk.¡± As for the mule carriage, the Lu family¡¯s small courtyard could not accommodate it. Shu Yu¡¯s gaze fell on Lu Sanzhu¡¯s house opposite. Hmm, the third uncle¡¯s yard was more spacious. Her third uncle and third aunt were especially lazy. There was nothing planted in the yard, only a few chickens in the corner. Other than that, it was empty. As soon as Shu Yu thought of this, she heard Lu Sanzhu¡¯s ghostly howls from behind. ¡°Erya, Erya, I heard that you bought a mule carriage? Is this the carriage you bought?¡± Shuyu turned around and saw Lu Sanzhu running over with a glint in his eyes. In the blink of an eye, he had already stopped in front of the carriage, almost failing to stop in time and crashing into it. Just like how modern men could hardly resist the charm of a car, the resistance of men in this era to riding a carriage was pitifully weak these days. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Second Brother is too Impulsive Chapter 95: Second Brother is too Impulsive Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Sanzhu circled the carriage excitedly, almost drooling. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t bear to watch. Since he was here, she asked conveniently, ¡°Third uncle, can I park my carriage in your yard? ¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± Lu Sanzhu¡¯s head was about to fall off from nodding. He couldn¡¯t ask for more. Shu Yu took out her things from the carriage. Just as she was about to call Sanya and Dahu, she saw the two touching and looking at the carriage excitedly. Previously, they had thought that this carriage was also rented, so they didn¡¯t dare to touch it, seemingly afraid of breaking it. Even Dabao, who wanted to go up, was stopped by the two of them. Now that they knew that the carriage belonged to them, the two children who were still young could not control themselves. Shu Yu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, but she didn¡¯t dare to let them play here alone. If they accidentally provoked the mule and it kicked them, there would be no room for regret. After Dahu and the other two had climbed up the carriage and searched it for some time, Shu Yu called out to them, ¡°Alright, the mule needs to rest too. Let¡¯s find a day when we have time and I¡¯ll take you out for a walk on the carriage. Now, go to the eldest uncle¡¯s house and get grandma. Tell her that I have something to discuss with her.¡± Dahu and Sanya always carried out whatever they were told to do immediately. Dabao, on the other hand, wanted to climb onto the mule¡¯s back and sit there, but he was a little afraid of Shu Yu now and did not dare to provoke her. As such, he followed the two to Lu Dasong¡¯s house to get the old lady. Then, Shu Yu said to Lu Sanzhu, ¡°Take the mule back to your yard and get it something to eat. Don¡¯t even think about taking her out to play, otherwise¡­¡± Lu Sanzhu immediately suppressed the thought that had just appeared in his mind. He laughed drily, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. I promise to take good care of it.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Only then did Shu Yu carry her things and enter the courtyard. She first put the makeup products and silk fabrics back into her room, then went to Lu Erbai¡¯s room. Madam Ruan had already finished brewing the medicine and was feeding it to Lu Erbai. Shu Yu got some medicine again on her trip to the county today. She put it on the table. Seeing that Lu Erbai had finished drinking his medicine, she sat down opposite him, ¡°Dad, how do you feel today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m much better. It just feels a little itchy, but Doctor Xu said it¡¯s normal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Shu Yu took a look, then changed the medicine and bandaged his leg again. As soon as she finished changing the medicine, she heard footsteps outside the door. The next moment, the old lady entered the house, followed by Lu Dasong. Before the old lady could speak, Lu Dasong spoke up anxiously, ¡°Erya, I heard from your grandma that you want to open a shop?¡± He had been clueless about this. It was only when Dahu and the others rushed to his house just now and Dabao excitedly shouted that his second brother¡¯s family had bought a carriage that he was stunned. On the way here, he had asked the old lady what was going on. Why did Erya buy a carriage? The old lady had not heard of any plans to buy a carriage, but she knew that Erya had gone to the county to rent a shop today. Now that the carriage was ready, it was clear that the shop was also settled. Only then did she tell Lu Dasong about the plans of Lu Erbai¡¯s family in preparing to open a shop. Lu Dasong was stunned. His second brother¡¯s family didn¡¯t even have food to eat a few days ago, and now they actually wanted to open a shop? It was obvious that Erya was the one who was funding the capital, but the problem was no one in the Lu family had any experience in running a shop. At most, Cuihua¡¯s in-law¡¯s family was running a small food stall in town. They had no experience and didn¡¯t know how to deal with people. There were so many ways in the business world. What if they made a loss? This was too impulsive. Why didn¡¯t they save their money instead? Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Assignment of Tasks Chapter 96: Assignment of Tasks Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Dasong simply couldn¡¯t comprehend it. Even if they wanted to start a small business, shouldn¡¯t they start with something that costs less, like setting up a stall or being a peddler selling some trinkets? To think they straight away rented a shop in the county. The initial investment was too big. If they lost money, then all the money would be gone. Lu Dasong wanted to persuade them, ¡°Second brother, it¡¯s not that easy to open a shop and do business. You have to consider it carefully.¡± However, Lu Erbai smiled, ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry, big brother. Erya has good skills.¡± Skill? He asked, ¡°What skill?¡± ¡°Stylist.¡± Lu Dasong¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°What?¡± He had never heard of it. Shu Yu really didn¡¯t know how to explain, so she could only say to him, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve already rented the shop and paid the rent. It¡¯s impossible to terminate the rent now. As for how to make money, you will understand after the shop is opened.¡± Lu Dasong still felt that it sounded unreliable, but the old lady patted him, ¡°That¡¯s enough. If Erya says there¡¯s no problem, then there¡¯s no problem. You haven¡¯t even been out of the county before, and you¡¯re not as knowledgeable as Erya. What do you know?¡± Lu Dasong was speechless. His heart was pricked. Go to ????????????????????.co He waved his hand, ¡°Forget it, forget it. Since you¡¯re already at this stage, just¡­ Just try it then. If you need any help, let me know.¡± The old lady snorted, ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling you? Your wife is not willing to help anyway.¡± Embarrassed, Lu Dasong stood up and said, ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m going to third brother¡¯s house to see the mule carriage too.¡± In fact, he had been itching to do so. Other than Madam Li, who had gone to wash clothes by the river, all the children had gone to his third brother¡¯s house. Even though Daniu and Lanhua were there too, he was still worried and had to go keep an eye. After saying that, he left, giving them some space to discuss. Only then did Shu Yu say to the old lady and the others, ¡°I¡¯ve rented a shop for two taels of silver a month. It¡¯s on Ningshui Street. I¡¯ve paid the rent for half a year.¡± ¡°Ningshui Street?¡± Lu Erbai frowned, ¡°The rent on Ningshui Street isn¡¯t that cheap. Erya, is there something wrong with the shop?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem,¡± Shu Yu didn¡¯t hide it from them and told them that the shop was a token of Lord Yu¡¯s kindness. When the old lady heard this, she snorted coldly, ¡°Then even those two taels of silver are too much. If he didn¡¯t want a pair of twins, the old lady of the Ruan family wouldn¡¯t have such bad thoughts. Fortunately, Erya was here. Otherwise, I would have hung myself at the Yu family¡¯s door.¡± Lu Erbai hurriedly said, ¡°Mum, don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡± Shu Yu grabbed the old lady¡¯s hand, ¡°The rent is a little cheap, so let¡¯s not tell anyone to avoid trouble.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± ¡°The next step is to clean up the shop. I¡¯ve already asked Butler Yu to help move the extra cabinets. I¡¯ll find a craftsman to change the layout, and we can open for business after that.¡± Then, Shu Yu turned to Madam Ruan, ¡°Mum, you¡¯re going to be busy from now on.¡± Madam Ruan couldn¡¯t wait, ¡°Erya, tell me what I should do. I can definitely do it well.¡± ¡°I drew a few sketches of clothes. Although it¡¯s a little rough, it¡¯ll more or less work. Mum, make some small samples according to the sketches I give you. If there¡¯s no problem, we¡¯ll make adult sizes. As for the exact measurements¡­ Base it on my measurements, then.¡± Madam Ruan was slightly excited, ¡°Okay, tell me the details. I can¡¯t help much with other matters, but it¡¯s definitely not a problem for me to make clothes. I can start today.¡± Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: The Dejected Lu Erbai Chapter 97: The Dejected Lu Erbai Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu then said to the old lady, ¡°Grandma, mum probably won¡¯t have much free time in the next few days. The job of cooking may fall on you.¡± The old lady waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just things job I¡¯m used to doing. I guarantee the house will be squeaking clean. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Shu Yu was thinking that after they earned some money, they would have to buy two servants. Although the old lady was not old, she had worked hard these few years. She looked much more haggard than those gossiping women at the village entrance today. At the thought of the other party¡¯s appearance, Shu Yu suddenly remembered the makeup products she brought back. She quickly went to get her bag and placed the makeup products on the table. ¡°Grandma, mum, come and pick a few.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Mrs. Ruan looked at the various ceramic jars in front of her in surprise. These jars were very exquisite, and the patterns on them were very beautiful. She couldn¡¯t help but pick one up and asked in surprise, ¡°These are the makeup products that you said the Yu family left for you? ¡± ¡°Yes, these twenty jars are of good quality. I was thinking of bringing them back to share with everyone.¡± Madam Ruan couldn¡¯t bear to part with the makeup product in her hand. When she was a girl, the Ruan family didn¡¯t give her money. She wore rough linen clothes every day and never dressed up. After she married into the Lu family, Lu Erbai had been clueless about these girly things. But once, he saw her standing at a small stall looking at rouge and knew that she liked it, so he bought her a box. However, within two days, Old Lady Ruan came to see her and took it away. Go to ????????????????????.co After that, Madam Ruan never bought or used makeup again. These rouge were obviously much better than the one she had bought from the small stall in town back then. Ruan Shi caressed the jar, then took a deep breath and put it down. She looked up at Shu Yu and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need this. You can keep it for yourself or give it to others in the future when you need to do so.¡± The old lady also said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m already so old. I¡¯ll be laughed at if I use this.¡± Shu Yu still pushed the jars over, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t do. We¡¯re about to open a shop and we have to receive all kinds of customers then. We have to persuade them to buy our products and craftsmanship. If we don¡¯t even care about dressing up, why would the customers believe that we have such skills?¡± When Madam Ruan and the old lady heard this, they felt that it made sense. But ¡­ Even if they dressed up, they wouldn¡¯t look good. Shu Yu laughed, ¡°You can put the rouge aside for now, but you still need to take care of your body and face. At the very least, you can¡¯t be so thin. Your face has to be more ruddy and healthy. We can¡¯t be frugal, we have to maintain our appearance.¡± The two older women could not find any words to refute Shu Yu and could thus only accept the makeup. At this moment, they were feeling somewhat regretful. Why did they choose to open a ready-to-wear clothes shop? Never mind the other capital, now even they needed to eat and drink well¡­ They felt that it was unnecessary. In the end, the two still picked out two jars of makeup from the pile. Shu Yu packed the rest, ¡°I¡¯ll send some to my elder sisters later.¡± As for how and when she would do so, she would think about it when the time came. Shu Yu put the bag aside. When she turned around, she saw Lu Erbai¡¯s dejected look. She thought for a moment and knew the reason. Thus, she looked at Lu Erbai and said, ¡°Dad, although you¡¯re recuperating now, there¡¯s something that I need your help with.¡± As expected, Lu Erbai¡¯s spirits were lifted, ¡°Say it, I¡¯ll do it well.¡± Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Call Her Yu From Now On Chapter 98: Call Her Yu From Now On Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Shu Yu said, ¡°I want dad to help me make a few mannequins and clothes hangers, but the clothes hanger I want isn¡¯t the kind that stands upright beside the bed. It¡¯s those that can be hung casually.¡± He understood hangers, but¡­ ¡°What¡¯s a mannequin?¡± Lu Erbai didn¡¯t understand this new term. Shu Yu explained it to him, and Lu Erbai immediately understood, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get it done for you very soon.¡± Mannequins weren¡¯t huge. He could make the parts one by one and then attach them together. For the current Lu Erbai, it was not a problem. ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. What¡¯s important now is your leg. Dad, you have to heal your injuries as soon as possible so that you can go to the shop to help me.¡± Lu Erbai understood, ¡°I¡¯ll rest properly.¡± After everything was arranged, Shu Yu thought of the few mu of land at home and asked the old lady, ¡°Grandma, have you rented out the land?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already asked your uncle to keep an eye on this matter. I went to his house just now to talk about this.¡± Lu Dasong didn¡¯t understand at first and even tried to dissuade her, saying that a few mu of land wouldn¡¯t be a problem for his second brother once his legs recovered. It was at that time that Dahu and the others ran in and said that Shu Yu was back, which interrupted their conversation. ¡°Erya, you said that you wanted to build a new room for our house. I thought about it and decided not to rush it. There are too many things to do in the shop right now, and no one has the time to take care of the renovations. Your mum can¡¯t make clothes if there¡¯s too much noise around either, so it¡¯s better to wait for the shop to open before starting the renovations.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co The old lady had thought it through. After the shop opened, they would be able to make money. By then, they would have more money on hand and would not be so stressed. Shu Yu was fine with that. She had thought that she couldn¡¯t find a suitable shop so quickly, so she thought of building the room first. Currently, they were truly short on staff. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to the county town to find some craftsmen. Dad, do you know any craftsmen that you think are good?¡± Lu Erbai had been an apprentice carpenter in the county before he got married. As such, he naturally knew a few reliable craftsmen. ¡°Tomorrow, go to 57 Dongmen Street and find a craftsman with the surname Zheng. He¡¯s been my good friend for many years and has even helped our family during difficult times. He has good craftsmanship and is very serious and fast in his work, plus he doesn¡¯t charge much. However, he injured people a few years ago, and for some reason, people outside said that he has a bad temper and is not easy to get along with. They even said that he threatened his employers, so even fewer people hired him.¡± Shu Yu believed in her dad, so she decided to look for Craftsman Zheng the next day. After everything was discussed, Shu Yu decided to leave. Just as she got up, Lu Erbai say with a straight face, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing that I have to say first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The old lady asked. Lu Erbai said, ¡°Don¡¯t call her Erya in the future. Just call her by her full name, Shu Yu, or Yu.¡± The old lady frowned, ¡°But we¡¯re already used to calling her Erya.¡± Lu Erbai was helpless, ¡°Mum, although Erya sounds intimate, she¡¯s going to be the shopkeeper of the shop soon. It¡¯s a habit in our village to call her that, but if she is addressed as Erya in front of the customers, they¡¯ll think that she¡¯s unpresentable and look down on her.¡± Over the years, he had been to many places and met many people in search of Erya. Most of the people were friendly, but some sneered at such a name. They felt that the other party was a country girl who had never seen the world and was not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as them. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Cunning Chapter 99: Cunning Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lu Erbai didn¡¯t want Erya to be looked down upon just because of her name. It might even cause the shop to lose business. The old lady immediately realized the seriousness of the situation, ¡°Then¡­ Then we¡¯ll call her Yu.¡± After she finished speaking, she turned to look at Shu Yu, as if seeking her opinion. Shu Yu nodded. She did not reject the name ¡°Erya¡±, but it was indeed a little troubling. At first, she was not used to it. Sometimes, when the old lady called her Erya, she could not even react. Later on, too many villagers from the neighboring villages called her Erya too, so these few days, when she heard the name Erya, she would subconsciously turn her head and almost greet the other party. The old lady thus decided, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided then. I¡¯ll let Dasong and Sanzhu know later.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the noise of children came from outside. Dahu¡¯s serious tone was particularly obvious, ¡°Dabao, don¡¯t cry. You can¡¯t ride the mule. You¡¯ll get hurt. You have to listen.¡± Dabao sobbed, ¡°You have to call me big brother.¡± Dahu was in a difficult position. The other party didn¡¯t seem like an older brother at all. It was hard to call him that. Although Dabao had been good to them these two days, he had also bullied them before. Dahu was quite vengeful. When Shu Yu went out, she saw his face full of confusion and melancholy. Go to ????????????????????.co Hmm, Dahu¡­ He should be sent to school. They could skimp on everything, but not education. Besides, he was at the right age to study. Shu Yu decided to ask around when she went to the county tomorrow. The next morning, Shu Yu knocked on Lu Sanzhu¡¯s door and drove the carriage out. Unexpectedly, just as she was about to set off, Daniu came over. ¡°Er¡­ Yu, my father asked me to go with you. After all, I¡¯m a man and I have great strength. If there¡¯s any heavy work in the shop, I can help. I¡¯m also familiar with the county.¡± Daniu was a little embarrassed after he finished speaking. When he went back yesterday, his father told the whole family that the second uncle¡¯s family was going to open a shop. They were so shocked that they were sent into a daze. Who would have thought that the second uncle, who was so poor that he couldn¡¯t even afford medicine when his leg hurt, could now rent a shop in the county? In any case, their family had discussed this matter for most of the night and only went to bed very late. Shu Yu didn¡¯t reject Daniu¡¯s good intentions. She had thought about it before. If the shop didn¡¯t even have enough manpower, she could ask Daniu for help. After getting along with Daniu for the past few days, she was very sure of his character. He was filial to his elders, cared for his younger siblings, was tentative, and had a mind. Shu Yu beckoned him to get on the mule carriage and they drove to the village entrance together. Lu Sanzhu stood at the door of his house with his arms crossed. He watched the carriage leave and snorted coldly, ¡°Big brother is really cunning. He knows that second brother¡¯s family is going to strike it rich, so he sent Daniu to curry favor. So disgusting.¡± He had originally planned to go to the county with Erya to get a free meal and befriend her. Now, he had no chance at all. It was extremely appalling. Lu Sanzhu turned around in anger and went back to sleep. There were plenty of opportunities, and the mule carriage was parked at his house anyway. Shu Yu and Daniu arrived at the county soon and went to Ningshui Street first. When Daniu heard that the shop was on Ningshui Street, he was shocked. He turned his head and asked, ¡°Yu, are you renting a shop on Ningshui Street? ¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Daniu¡¯s eyelids twitched. The rent on that street was not cheap. However, when the carriage went further in, his entire body stiffened. As far as he knew, the rent for the shops inside was even more expensive. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Craftsman Zheng Chapter 100: Craftsman Zheng Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Even when the mule carriage stopped, Daniu was still in a daze. His second uncle was too generous. At first, Daniu thought that although they were renting a shop in the county, they would be renting a relatively remote place. This was the most prosperous and lively street in the county! ¡°Come down,¡± Shu Yu jumped off the shaft of the carriage. Daniu came back to his senses and followed her in. ¡°This is the shop I rented. What do you think? It¡¯s a little small, but it¡¯s enough.¡± Daniu raised his head and looked around the shop. His eyes were filled with surprise, ¡°It¡¯s not that small.¡± He was still a young man, after all, so Daniu couldn¡¯t help but walk around the shop. He excitedly looked at every corner of the shop. Shu Yu went to wash her hands, then came out and say to him, ¡°Brother Daniu, I¡¯m going to Dongmen Street to find a craftsman. You can rest here for a while.¡± Daniu recovered from his excitement, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You can help me look after the shop and the carriage, so I don¡¯t have to lock the door.¡± Daniu thought about it and agreed. However, as soon as Shu Yu turned around and left, he immediately looked around, found a broom and a rag, and started cleaning the shop inside and out. Shu Yu found Dongmen Street soon and knocked on the door of Craftsman Zheng¡¯s courtyard. Go to ????????????????????.co Craftsman Zheng, who opened the door, looked quite depressed and dispirited. He was stunned when he saw Shu Yu, ¡°Miss, who are you looking for?¡± Shu Yu was holding a bag of date pastries in her hand, ¡°Are you Uncle Zheng? I¡¯m the second daughter of Lu Erbai from Shangshi Village. My father asked me to come and find you.¡± Craftsman Zheng was surprised for a moment, ¡°Erbai¡¯s daughter? Come, come in first.¡± Shu Yu entered the house and looked around the Zheng family¡¯s courtyard. There were a lot of tools and materials piled up here, and it was a little messy. Craftsman Zheng called for his wife and invited Shu Yu into the central room. Shu Yu placed the date pastries on the table, then went straight to the point, ¡°Our family rented a shop on Ningshui Street and we plan to make some changes and repair it. My father said that Uncle Zheng¡¯s skills are good and meticulous, so he asked me to come here and ask if you have time.¡± Craftsman Zheng¡¯s wife, who was carrying a bowl of water into the room, widened her eyes and walked up to Shu Yu in a few steps, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. He just happens to be free.¡± Craftsman Zheng was shocked, ¡°A shop? The Lu family is opening a shop?¡± Two months ago, when he went to visit Lu Erbai, the latter was still lying in bed and feeling uncomfortable. It had rained that day, and the roof had been leaking. He was the one who had helped to mend it. But now, Lu Erbai was actually going to open a shop on Ningshui Street? Just as he was thinking about it, his wife gave him a nudge, and he quickly came to his senses. After that, Shu Yu told him about the requests and remuneration. Craftsman Zheng expressed that he had no problem with it. ¡°Why don¡¯t I follow you to the shop to take a look now? If it¡¯s possible, we can start work tomorrow.¡± Shu Yu couldn¡¯t ask for more, so she brought Craftsman Zheng back to Ningshui Street. When she entered the shop, she saw that the previously dirty floor was now clean. Daniu was wiping the counter with a rag. Shu Yu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, ¡°Brother Daniu, don¡¯t bother.¡± She introduced Craftsmen Zheng to him, ¡°This is Uncle Zheng.¡± Daniu quickly wiped his hands and walked out from behind the counter. He said energetically, ¡°Uncle Zheng.¡± Craftsman Zheng nodded. Shu Yu led him inside and explained her plan as they walked. ¡°This is a ready-to-made clothes shop, so it¡¯s best if the front is big so that the customers can see the clothes inside from the outside. The entrance of this shop is actually quite spacious, but the two door panels on the side are fixed. I want to make it into a door that can be opened.¡± Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Meng Yunzheng and Zhang Shu? Chapter 101: Meng Yunzheng and Zhang Shu? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Craftsman Zheng moved the door and said, ¡°This is not a problem.¡± ¡°And this wall on the left, I wonder if we can make a few big windows. I want to let in more light.¡± Craftsman Zheng went over and examined the wall carefully for a moment. He gave her an approximate width, ¡°This piece can be knocked out and installed as a window.¡± Shu Yu replied, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± She then brought Craftsman Zheng to look at the door that connected to the backyard. ¡°This has to be removed and the passageway widened. It¡¯s connected to the room in the backyard which I want to use as a fitting room.¡± Then, she wanted to separate the fitting room from the other room in the backyard and the kitchen so that the living and working areas could be separated. As such, there was only one room left for people to stay. However, there was nothing she could do. After all, the original shop was quite small. Therefore, she wanted to make a bunk bed in that room. The bottom of the bunk bed would be wider and could sleep two people, while the top would be narrower and could sleep one person. With that, one room could accommodate three people. It was a little cramped, but the conditions were limited now. When she earned money, she would buy a house in the county town. Shu Yu tried her best to make use of the resources. Even with that, she still had to have a separate utility room since there had to be a place to store the goods. Go to ????????????????????.co Either way, the backyard space was fully utilized. Craftsman Zheng, as a professional, gave a few suggestions to adjust the layout to make it more suitable and beautiful. Shu Yu fully believed her father¡¯s words now. Uncle Zheng was indeed meticulous and capable. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided,¡± Craftsman Zheng said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the market to take a look later. There are some things that I still have to pick out.¡± Shu Yu nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. I¡¯ll just buy it then if it¡¯s good.¡± This time, Daniu did not say that he wanted to go. He would not interfere in matters that involved money. Shu Yu followed Craftsman Zheng to the market that mainly sold materials. Craftsman Zheng had connections and chose the middle-grade ones. This was just a rented shop, so it was enough. Shu Yu had some understanding of these materials. She could tell that Craftsman Zheng did not cheat her. Even if he did, it was fine. She didn¡¯t understand, but her father was a carpenter. He would know if the work was good or not when he came around. There was no need for Craftsman Zheng to be greedy. The two of them ate a bowl of noodles at a stall before continuing to shop. By the time they finished, it was already very late. Craftsman Zheng had to go home to prepare the tools and call two workers to help. After all, Shu Yu did not give him much time, and he needed help. With that, Shu Yu and Craftsman Zheng parted ways at the entrance of Dongmen Street. Shu Yu heaved a sigh of relief after finishing one matter on her list, and her walking became much lighter. However, just as she was about to turn to Ningshui Street, she suddenly saw two familiar figures standing in front of her. Shu Yu stopped in her tracks and her gaze fell on the man who was facing her sideways. Zhang Shu¡­ Why was he here? And wasn¡¯t the person standing opposite him Meng Yunzheng? Wasn¡¯t that Young Master Meng whom she had just met a few days ago? How could these two people who had nothing to do with each other know each other? Shu Yu frowned slightly. The next moment, she saw Zhang Shu smile at Meng Yunzheng and walk around him. Meng Yunzheng was still standing in the same place, but his indifferent eyes quickly turned to look at Shu Yu. Their eyes suddenly met. Shu Yu wanted to leave but it was too late. Although they had agreed that they would act as if they hadn¡¯t seen each other last time, Meng Yunzheng did not look away after seeing her now. As such, Shu Yu hesitated for a moment, but still walked forward and stood in front of him. She smiled and asked, ¡°Do you know Zhang Shu?¡± Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Meng Yunzheng Says Zhang Yunshu was Asking for Directions Chapter 102: Meng Yunzheng Says Zhang Yunshu was Asking for Directions Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Meng Yunzheng looked confused. Shu Yu pointed in the direction where Zhang Shu left, ¡°It¡¯s that man just now.¡± Meng Yunzheng understood and then shook his head with a smile. He smiled out of habit, but he immediately thought of what Shu Yu had said. She said, his smile¡­ was a little fake. So Meng Yunzheng immediately suppressed his smile, opened his mouth, and said two words silently. Shu Yu couldn¡¯t hear him, but he only said three words, and the shape of his lips when he spoke made it very obvious. She immediately understood. ¡°Ask for directions? You mean, you asked him for directions?¡± Meng Yunzheng shook his head. Shu Yu asked, ¡°Did he ask you for directions?¡± Meng Yunzheng nodded. Shu Yu frowned, ¡°He¡¯s a local and is very familiar with this county. Why is he asking you for directions instead?¡± She had heard from the old lady that apart from doing the chores at home, Zhang Shu would go to the county to work part-time during his spare time. It was probably because he worked hard and didn¡¯t complain, so he could find work every time. He could get paid every time even if the part-time work didn¡¯t end well. Go to ????????????????????.co Back when Daya married him, this was a huge bonus. In the Lu family, whether it was the old lady, Lu Erbai, or Ruan Shi, all of them felt that Zhang Shu was honest, hardworking, and could earn money, while Daya was gentle and virtuous. When the time came, the couple would work hard together and live a prosperous life. Who knew that Daya¡¯s life in the Zhang family would actually become so difficult? Why would a person who would go to the county every year to find a part-time job need to ask for directions? He even asked someone who wasn¡¯t a local for directions. Shu Yu always felt that Zhang Shu was strange. Just as she was pondering, a hand suddenly reached out and waved in front of her. Shu Yu looked up and met Meng Yunzheng¡¯s questioning gaze. She smiled, ¡°Why is Young Master Meng here? Where¡¯s Doctor Zhao?¡± Meng Yunzheng pointed to the place where he lived. Shu Yu understood, but at this point, she didn¡¯t know what else to say to him. Meng Yunzheng couldn¡¯t speak now, so they couldn¡¯t exactly chat. Even if he made gestures, Shu Yu could only guess half of it. In the end, she could only say, ¡°Well, I opened a ready-to-wear clothes store on Ningshui Street. If Young Master Meng needs my help, you can find me there.¡± Meng Yunzheng nodded and turned to leave. Shu Yu watched his back gradually disappear into the distance. After a long time, she sighed heavily. My, my, such a handsome young master, why can¡¯t he speak? What a pity. Shu Yu shook her head and returned to the shop with her hands behind her back. Daniu had already tidied up everything. When he saw her return, he immediately welcomed her happily, ¡°Yu, Uncle Zheng is going to start work tomorrow. Let me help too. The sooner we finish the work, the sooner the shop can open.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll have to trouble Big Brother Daniu for the next few days.¡± Daniu did not find it troublesome at all. He was even very excited. Although this was not his shop, it was his second uncle¡¯s shop. He wanted to participate in the renovation of the shop and watch it become better bit by bit. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the clothes over tomorrow. It¡¯s convenient to stay in the small room at the back too.¡± The bedding in the small room had been thrown away by Butler Yu, but the bedboard was still there. He had just tidied it up and could sleep with a straw mat. Shu Yu didn¡¯t agree, but she didn¡¯t try to persuade him. Whether or not Daniu could move in depended on whether Madam Li was willing or not. If she was not, Daniu might not even be able to come to the county. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Looking for Daya Chapter 103: Looking for Daya Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio It was getting late. The two of them packed their things and prepared to head back. The mule carriage was driven by Daniu. He knew how to drive an ox cart but had only tried driving a mule carriage just this morning. The young man was very enthusiastic about this. Shu Yu happened to be tired after walking for a day, so she leaned against the carriage to rest. However, as soon as she closed her eyes, she inexplicably thought of Zhang Shu whom she met today. Shu Yu instantly straightened up and frowned. Daniu, who was on the shaft of the carriage, heard the commotion and asked her through the curtain, ¡°Yu, what¡¯s wrong? Am I going too fast?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shu Yu stuck her head out and said to him, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Dayan Village.¡± ¡°Dayan Village?¡± Daniu was surprised, ¡°You want to look for Daya?¡± Shu Yu nodded, ¡°It just so happens that we have a mule carriage, so we¡¯re not afraid of traveling. I have something that I want to give to her.¡± She left two boxes of makeup in the carriage, which she wanted to send to Daya with this opportunity. While she was at it, she wanted to see how her sister was doing. Daniu happily replied, ¡°Alright, Daya came back in a hurry last time and we didn¡¯t even have time to say a few words. We can also tell her the good news about the shop opening. If the Zhang family knows about it, they will treat her much better in the future.¡± Shu Yu raised his eyebrows and glanced at him. As expected, Daniu was actually a very sensitive youth. Go to ????????????????????.co He knew that Daya¡¯s life was not good. Part of the reason might be that she did not have children yet. Another reason was that the Zhang family knew about the Lu family¡¯s situation and felt that even if Daya was wronged, the Lu family could not support her since they couldn¡¯t even take care of themselves. This time, they would let the Zhang family know that the Lu family was living a good life now. If they dared to bully Daya again, the Lu family would not let them off. Daniu quickly pulled the reins and turned to the left. With the mule carriage, the speed was indeed much faster. It did not take long for the carriage to stop at the entrance of Dayan Village. Unlike Shangshi Village, Dayan Village¡¯s entrance was connected by a bridge. An ox cart could enter if one drove slowly, but Shu Yu¡¯s mule carriage was relatively large and thus inconvenient to cross the bridge. Therefore, the two of them parked the mule carriage at the entrance of the village and walked into the village. Shu Yu didn¡¯t know where the Zhang family was. After crossing the bridge, she asked Daniu to lead the way. The two of them had not walked far when Daniu suddenly pointed ahead and said, ¡°That seems to be Daya.¡± Shu Yu looked up and saw Daya washing clothes by the stream. Daniu quickly waved his hand and called out to her, ¡°Daya, Daya¡­¡± However, the stream was turbulent and the sound of the water was loud. Many people were also washing clothes and talking by the stream. As such, not only did Daya not hear him, but she even turned around and left after washing the last piece of clothing. ¡°Hey,¡± Daniu could only put down his hand and said to Shu Yu, ¡°Let¡¯s catch up quickly.¡± Unfortunately, the two of them were too far away. By the time they caught up, Daya had already turned into the center of the village and disappeared. The two of them could only go to the Zhang family by themselves. The Zhang family was a little far from the stream. They had to pass through the center of the village and go to the other side of the stream. The last time Daniu came was a year ago. At that time, he had rushed over to tell Daya about Lu Erbai¡¯s leg injury. He wasn¡¯t familiar with Dayan Village, and he even went to the wrong place once. Therefore, even though the two of them were fast, by the time they arrived at the Zhang family, Daya had already entered the residence. Shu Yu took two quick steps and stood at the entrance of the Zhang family¡¯s courtyard. She realized that the courtyard door was already closed. Just as she was about to knock on the door, she heard voices coming from inside. ¡°Sister-in-law, didn¡¯t you leave any food for me in the kitchen?¡± This was¡­ Daya¡¯s timid and helpless voice.