The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 868 - 867 Nonsense—

The mother and daughter were chatting about cosmetics when the courtyard door was suddenly pushed open with a bang, and Song Chongjin rushed in like a gust of wind.

Seeing Wang Yongzhu, he didn’t care that Old Granny Zhang was still there, nor that it was broad daylight and the courtyard door was open. He pulled Wang Yongzhu into his arms, meticulously checking her from head to toe, even examining every strand of her hair. Only when he found nothing amiss did he breathe a sigh of relief and hug Wang Yongzhu tightly, saying, "As long as you’re okay! As long as you’re okay!"

Old Granny Zhang, observing the situation, guessed that Song Chongjin had probably heard some troubling news from somewhere and rushed back from the Academy, fearing that Wang Yongzhu might have been hurt.

It was a son-in-law being protective of his wife, which made her feel happy.

However, noticing Gu Zikai standing at the courtyard entrance, and Ninth Master Lee, who had also hurried over, Old Granny Zhang couldn’t help but cough twice: "Ahem—there are guests here—"

Everyone should behave properly!

Only then did Song Chongjin wipe his face, brushing off all the panic and worry, and lifted his head, turning around to look as calm as usual.

He nodded towards Gu Zikai and Ninth Master Lee, who were standing awkwardly by the door: "Brother Gu, Ninth Master!"

Gu Zikai looked at Song Chongjin with a complex expression, then glanced at Wang Yongzhu before forcing a smile: "As long as you’re okay! As long as you’re okay!"

Ninth Master Lee also breathed a sigh of relief, scrutinizing Wang Yongzhu: "I say, Lady Wang, if you really wanted to cause trouble for the Tian Family, you could have told me. I guarantee that within a month, they wouldn’t be able to stay in Jing County! Why did you have to take such a risk yourself?"

Gu Zikai gave Ninth Master Lee a glaring look, sensing the awkwardness, and quickly changed the subject: "What exactly happened?"

Although Wang Yongzhu had been seen by others while hugging Song Chongjin, she didn’t feel embarrassed or awkward at all. Calmly, she greeted the two and invited them to sit in the courtyard.

Gu Zikai and Ninth Master Lee didn’t refuse, they entered the courtyard and soon a pot of good tea was brewed, perfectly paired with the pastries Wang Yongzhu had brought back. The few of them gathered around.

Ever since Old Granny Zhang started sunbathing in the courtyard daily, everyone would accompany her there.

Song Chongjin had someone set up a grape arbor in the courtyard, with a stone table underneath it. Knowing that Old Granny Zhang couldn’t sit on such cold stone stools, he also had several wooden benches made, coated with tung oil, giving the place a pleasant touch.

At that moment, the group gathered under the grape arbor, drinking tea and eating pastries, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

Gu Zikai tried to ask several times but seeing everyone remaining silent, he swallowed his words.

Today was the first time he had seen Song Chongjin, who usually had a stern face and remained unflustered even if a mountain fell in front of him, suddenly change his expression after hearing a few words from someone.

He had vaguely heard words like "wife" and "shop."

Then he saw Song Chongjin abruptly get up, excuse himself to the teacher, and say something had happened at home.

The teacher, seeing his changed expression, quickly nodded and let him go home.

Gu Zikai immediately sensed something was wrong. For something to affect Song Chongjin’s usually controlled demeanor, it had to involve Wang Yongzhu.

Quickly, he also excused himself to the teacher, saying he was Song Chongjin’s neighbor and needed to go back to help with any potential trouble at the Song Family.

The teacher naturally agreed, and he hurriedly followed, meeting Ninth Master Lee at the Song Family Courtyard entrance, who had also apparently received the news and rushed over.

Gu Zikai realized something serious must have happened.

When Song Chongjin eventually hugged Wang Yongzhu and checked her thoroughly, finding that she was safe, not only did Song Chongjin breathe a sigh of relief, but so did he.

As long as Wang Yongzhu was okay, nothing else mattered.

Thinking this, Gu Zikai was no longer anxious, focusing on enjoying the tea.

Ninth Master Lee, on the other hand, couldn’t hold back any longer. Between bites of tea and pastries, he kept sneaking glances at Wang Yongzhu, making it impossible for her to pretend not to notice.

"Ninth Master, what do you want to ask?" Wang Yongzhu asked with exasperation.

Ninth Master Lee had been waiting for this moment, blurting out: "I heard you single-handedly smashed up the Tian Family Shop, and beat the shopkeeper and assistants so badly they’re still bedridden in a medicinal hall! How did you do that?"

He looked her over; she looked so gentle and refined, how could it be?

Wang Yongzhu snapped, slapping the table and standing up: "That’s nonsense—"

Ninth Master Lee, hearing this, finally felt relieved. See, it had to be those scoundrels spreading rumors; how could a gentle and refined lady like Wang Yongzhu do such a thing?

"—I only smashed the Tian Family Shop; I didn’t hurt anyone! Who spread these lies?" Wang Yongzhu fumed.

Could she be so lacking in class? Her grudge was with the Tian Family, specifically Zhang Qiuju; would she need to vent on unrelated people?

Ninth Master Lee’s half-relieved heart shattered into pieces.

He looked at Wang Yongzhu in shock, at a loss for words.

It was Gu Zikai who leisurely responded: "Lady Wang is indeed a formidable woman!"

Ninth Master Lee looked at Gu Zikai in even greater shock. Could this hypocrite be mad? Hadn’t he always disliked women who resorted to violence?

He had a half-sister in the Lee Family, who was a bit unruly and fond of breaking things. She had harbored deep affection for Gu Zikai and had finally mustered the courage to confess.

How did Gu Zikai reject her? Saying he liked gentle and quiet girls, making his sister so embarrassed she didn’t leave the house for a year.

Wang Yongzhu could single-handedly trash a shop, which had nothing to do with being gentle and quiet, yet Gu Zikai said such flattering words?

Wang Yongzhu accepted the compliment bluntly: "Thank you—"

Gu Zikai’s eyes brightened; it was the first time Wang Yongzhu had spoken to him so calmly and smiled.

His heart warmed even more, and he racked his brains for all the compliments he knew and organized the appropriate ones in his mind.

These efforts were no less demanding than his usual writing tasks.

Being a scholar, he praised Wang Yongzhu for a long time without repeating himself.

Even though Wang Yongzhu knew these were just empty flattery, she still felt happy, becoming even more cordial towards Gu Zikai.

As for Old Granny Zhang, hearing someone praise Wang Yongzhu made her even happier than being praised herself.

She couldn’t help thinking that people who had studied were indeed different; they never repeated compliments.

Song Chongjin, on the other hand, deeply resented his own lack of eloquence, unable to speak as gracefully as Gu Zikai.

He couldn’t help but interrupt Gu Zikai’s words: "Yongzhu, what exactly happened?"

The people he had assigned to protect Yongzhu had only vaguely reported that she had smashed the Tian Family Shop, then said a few things that had caused the shop to be surrounded by a group of women. They only later mentioned that Yongzhu had left unharmed, but even those few words had made his heart pound with fear.

He had intended to ask Yongzhu privately what had happened. Hadn’t they agreed that he would investigate the Tian Family before taking action?

Why had she acted today without warning?

Song Chongjin was filled with questions.

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