Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 689 - 642 Ling Yuezi’s Visit (2)
Everyone in the house began to rejoice.
Only Mrs. Wang’s face turned cold and sullen. She lightly snorted, not looking at her daughter’s belly, but rather at her daughter’s complexion. After the pain subsided, her daughter’s complexion improved significantly.
The illness of Second Lady Lou’s sister-in-law could not be treated by even ten doctors in Zhen An Prefecture, yet Li Yuzhu cured it as soon as she intervened.
The Wang Family wanted to establish connections with the Prefect’s house. Besides giving Li Yuzhu a hundred taels as a consultation fee in gratitude, they also sent gifts through a middleman, Second Lady Lou, to thank Lady Lou.
The one who came from the Wang Family was Young Madam Wang.
She was the elder sister-in-law of Second Lady Lou’s sister-in-law.
Faced with indirect relatives coming to express gratitude and bring gifts, Lady Lou was quite surprised.
Second Lady Lou also wanted to take this opportunity to impress her mother-in-law, given that Lady Lou recently warmed to Li Yuzhu.
Pleasing someone her mother-in-law liked seemed like pleasing her mother-in-law herself.
So Second Lady Lou smiled and said, "Mother, my sister-in-law from my family’s side fell ill a few days ago. Even after consulting ten doctors, the illness could not be cured. In the end, it was Li San Niang who cured her severe illness with her exquisite medical skills. My sister-in-law’s family is very grateful to Li San Niang."
Lady Lou smiled and said, "Young Madam Wang should be grateful to Li San Niang, but she came to the wrong place. Li San Niang is now staying with her second brother and not with us at the Lou Mansion."
Young Madam Wang smiled and said, "Had it not been for Lady Lou persuading Li San Niang to stay, Li San Niang would have left Zhen An Prefecture already, so appreciating Lady Lou is indeed correct."
Despite putting in no effort, Lady Lou received a generous gift and was repeatedly thanked by the young mistress of a prominent family in the city. Lady Lou felt delighted and grew even more fond of Li Yuzhu.
.
Although the illness of Second Lady Lou’s sister-in-law was cured, there was concern about a relapse, so Li Yuzhu had to remain in Zhen An Prefecture, thereby missing the Mid-Autumn Festival in Taohua River Village.
Fortunately, Mu Yuanxiu had a lot of time. Li Yuzhu bought numerous gifts for Mu Yuanxiu to take back to the village.
Mu Yuanxiu traveled alone, completing the round trip in just two days.
Li Yuzhu became very well-known in Zhen An Prefecture, and many people came to seek her medical consultation daily.
These people, hoping to please Lady Lou, would first visit her to request to see Li Yuzhu, leaving Lady Lou overwhelmed with gifts.
Lady Lou liked Li Yuzhu all the more, inviting her to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Lou Mansion.
This Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Yu En was the happiest; although unable to reunite with her parents, she had her brother and her sister and brother-in-law for company.
Li Yuzhu, Li Xingsheng, and Mu Yuanxiu were all invited into the Lou Mansion.
Meanwhile, the Li Mansion was even livelier.
Liu Er’s family and his two nieces, Liu Er Niu and Liu San Niu, celebrated the festival together.
Liu Jinbao and Liu Yinbao even set off fireworks, filling the Li Mansion with laughter and joy.
At this moment, a red-clad woman on horseback, wearing a bamboo hat, stopped at the house entrance, peeking inside through the door crack.
Liu Jinbao and Liu Yinbao, while chatting and laughing, opened the door, and upon seeing the red-clothed woman, they stared at her blankly. "Miss, what brings you here?"
The red-clad woman awkwardly replied, "Just a passerby, merely resting." After speaking, she patted the horse’s back and departed.
After she walked away, Liu Yinbao spoke softly to his brother Liu Jinbao, "Brother, could she be a thief? She was clearly craning her neck to look into our compound, yet claimed to be just passing by."
Liu Jinbao blinked, "That woman’s face is unfamiliar; she’s likely a thief. Next time we see her, let’s be cautious. Since nothing is missing from the house now, it’d be hard to report to the authorities."
Liu Yinbao nodded, "Hmm, I’ve already remembered her appearance." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
The lively Mid-Autumn Festival concluded amid the dazzling fireworks.
Some people were joyous, while others felt lonely.
Those setting off fireworks laughed heartily.
Those watching the fireworks smiled gently but were silent.
The next morning, light rain fell. The Li Mansion’s door opened early; Li Xingsheng carried an oil paper umbrella, walking to the Prefecture Government office across the street to perform his duties.
A red-clad woman wearing a bamboo hat emerged from a narrow alley beside the Li Mansion, stopping to ponder while gazing in the direction Li Xingsheng had left.
Liu Yinbao, carrying an umbrella and basket, stepped out to buy groceries and saw the same red-clad woman from the previous day.
"It’s you again! What a thief, don’t think you can escape today!" Liu Yinbao shouted into the house, "Brother, that female thief from yesterday has returned! Quickly report to the authorities!"
The red-clad woman’s expression changed drastically; she waved her hands quickly, "I’m not a thief, I’m not..."
She turned to leave.
Liu Yinbao swiftly grabbed her sleeve, "You’re not going anywhere!"
The red-clad woman urgently tried to break free.
Upon hearing the commotion, Liu Jinbao ran out; the brothers held and stopped her together.
The red-clad woman was standing in a pool of muddy water, splattered with mud by the feet of the Liu brothers, which soiled half of her skirt.
"Let go of me, I don’t want to fight you, you can’t beat me!" She said anxiously, but kept her voice low.
The Liu brothers didn’t hear clearly, only thinking she still wanted to escape.
They shouted loudly toward Liu Er inside the house, "Dad, we caught a female thief, quickly call Li Er to bring the soldiers to catch her!"
The red-clad woman became even more anxious. She pulled one hand free, just about to secretly hit Liu Jinbao, when she heard Li Xingsheng’s emotionless voice say, "Let her go."
The red-clad woman froze at his voice, not daring to look up.
She lowered her head and turned away.
The Liu brothers excitedly said together, "Li Er, we caught a thief."
Li Xingsheng looked unblinkingly at the red-clad woman, walked over with a stern face, and grabbed her arm, dragging her into the house.
The Liu brothers were stunned, "Li Er, why are you taking her into the house?"
"I want to interrogate her myself!" Li Xingsheng said through clenched teeth.
Liu Jinbao said, "Li Er, don’t you dare let her off, she came by yesterday too! Stood outside our house and watched for a long time!"
Liu Yinbao nodded, "Yes, Li Er, she also lied saying she was just passing by."
Li Xingsheng said through clenched teeth, "Then we must interrogate her properly!
The red-clad woman looked up at him, sighed slightly, said nothing, and woodenly followed him.
Li Xingsheng dragged her up to the second floor of the small building, and pushed her into his bedroom.
Bam—
He angrily slammed the door shut.
"Ling Yuezi! Didn’t you say you never wanted to see me ever again? What are you doing here?" Li Xingsheng looked at the woman in front of him, feeling like he wanted to tear her to pieces and swallow her up.
Ling Yuezi kept her head down, looking at his toes, "I... was just passing by..."
Li Xingsheng walked over, pinched her chin, and sneered, "Really? But my family says, you’ve been lurking around the courtyard gate for two days in a row now, passing by quite frequently, aren’t you?"
"The matter wasn’t done, so..."
"What matter?" Li Xingsheng leaned closer to her face, staring into her eyes as he asked, his tone colder than the autumn morning.
Ling Yuezi felt a flurry of emotions, "I... came to buy some things for the brothers in the village."
"As the Fourth Master, you still needed to come personally to buy things?" Li Xingsheng sneered, "You’re not telling the truth!"
"It is the truth."
Li Xingsheng laughed in anger, he lifted Ling Yuezi’s face, moved even closer, "If you don’t tell the truth, do you believe..."
He grinded his teeth, then harshly covered her lips with his own.
Ling Yuezi’s body trembled, frozen on the spot.
After a long moment, Li Xingsheng finally released her.
"If you don’t tell the truth, do you believe I’ll deal with you! This is my territory, Ling Yuezi!" Li Xingsheng pressed her against the door, hooked her belt, and sneered.
Ling Yuezi gasped for air, her face flushed red as she glared at Li Xingsheng, "Li Xingsheng, you are being unreasonable! We agreed..."
"Agreed to what? Hmm?" Li Xingsheng looked at her face, "Why aren’t you talking?"
"We were pretending... pretending to be married." Ling Yuezi took another deep breath.
"Where’s the evidence?" Li Xingsheng tugged, scattering Ling Yuezi’s hair, he sneered, "If it’s a pretend marriage, why tie your hair in a woman’s bun?"
Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, seductive and eye-catching.
Ling Yuezi’s heart suddenly leaped to her throat, her face growing even more flushed.
In contrast with her red clothes, she looked like a boiled shrimp.
"I... there are many brothers in the village, I don’t want to be harassed... so..."
"Ling Yuezi, how long do you plan to keep lying?" Li Xingsheng sneered, "I used to believe you when you said the Big Master was bedridden and you couldn’t handle the Second Master, and wanted to quickly marry to escape the Second Master’s harassment. But now the Second Master is in jail, no one is harassing you, so why tie up your hair like a married woman?"
"Mr. Li..." Ling Yuezi bit her lip, not knowing how to respond.
Li Xingsheng’s anger flared up inexplicably again, he grabbed her arm, dragging her towards the bed.
Ling Yuezi exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Li!"
"Clean up the mud on your clothes and get out immediately, if I see you again..." Li Xingsheng pointed to a basin of clean water on the stand in the room, looked back coldly at Ling Yuezi, "I won’t be polite to you!"
