CHAPTER 377: CHAPTER 347: THE WOMAN QING’ER MENTIONED WAS THE ONE THEY HELPED DELIVER THAT DAY

Before Qing’er could open her mouth, Zhang Rong’er had already confessed timidly.

"Sister Mianmian, I passed by the small kitchen earlier and saw... saw some delicious food, and couldn’t resist eating a bit."

"Is that just a bit? You ate up all the mare’s milk and pastries!"

Qing’er interrupted her scolding, and then turned to tell Ruan Mian: "Sister, that cup of mare’s milk and pastries was meticulously prepared by the matron for the woman and child to replenish their bodies with. She just gave birth and is in postpartum recovery—it’s only right to eat something good."

"A young mare doesn’t produce much milk in a day, and she drank it all by herself. Isn’t that infuriating?"

Qing’er was referring to the woman they helped deliver the other day.

After she woke up, Qing’er asked her many questions, but the woman refused to say anything, just pitifully pleading for them to take in the child.

Her health was poor, and with Qing’er being soft-hearted, she couldn’t bear to watch a woman who just gave birth fend for herself outside.

So she decided to take them in for a month until she recovered, after which she would let her choose where to go without further insistence.

Hearing this, Ruan Mian understood the whole story.

Yet, Zhang Rong’er was quick to admit her fault, dropping to her knees with a thud in front of Ruan Mian.

"Sister Mianmian, I know I was wrong. I won’t make such mistakes again. I will control my mouth!"

There’s a saying, ’It’s wrong to hit a smiling face,’ what’s more, she had already set the stage, making it hard to beat or scold her.

However, it left Qing’er quite angry: "Sister, don’t believe her. She was different before you came!"

"Sister Qing’er misunderstood me. Just now, I was anxious, and you immediately wanted to scold me. I had no choice..."

"Sister Mianmian, I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again, alright."

Zhang Rong’er felt so anxious that she was about to cry. Those who didn’t know might think they were bullying her.

Seeing this, Ruan Mian gave Qing’er a reassuring look and then waved her hand broadly: "It’s just some mare’s milk and pastries, not something of great value."

"Little Rong’er’s gluttony can be understood. I’ll have someone send more to you later. It’s not a big deal. Stand up before anyone laughs at us."

Zhang Rong’er, overjoyed upon hearing this, quickly rose from the ground, politely thanked them, and then looked at Ruan Qing with deep meaning before leaving quickly.

This made Qing’er extremely upset: "Sister! Do you really believe her?"

Ruan Mian smiled: "Naturally, I believe you."

"If you believe me, why did you let her go? You didn’t see earlier when I caught her stealing those pastries and mare’s milk, she boldly asked, ’If I drank it, what can you do?’"

Ruan Qing wasn’t usually impulsive, so for her to be this angered, even while pregnant, meant Zhang Rong’er had indeed spoken over-the-line words.

Of course, Ruan Mian would believe her own elder sister.

She patted Qing’er on the shoulder and whispered: "No rush."

"Given her ’obedience’ just now, if we press her, it will make us seem unreasonable."

"I promised her a bottle later and will help you teach her a lesson in the process."

Hearing this, Ruan Mian’s complexion eased, and she managed a gentle smile.

"You are indeed my sister; I knew you wouldn’t easily trust an outsider!"

"But it’s also unfortunate. There’s no mare’s milk today, and the child is still hungry. As for that woman, why is she so stubborn? I asked her name, but she wouldn’t tell me. Could it be that her husband is someone we can’t speak of?"

"If there’s no mare’s milk, goat milk could be a substitute. As for that woman, we don’t need to hurry." "If she doesn’t want to talk, then she doesn’t talk. Once the confinement period is over, she can go wherever she wishes. We just need to have a clear conscience, and there’s no need to rush to save others."

Ruan Qing found these words reasonable, and her mood improved considerably.

At that moment, they happened to notice the wounds on Yun Xiu’s face, which startled them: "What’s wrong with Ashu’s face?"

Yun Xiu shook his head embarrassedly, and Ruan Mian remarked: "Just a minor issue. Let’s go fetch goat milk first, so the child doesn’t go hungry."

The reason Ruan Mian didn’t tell Qing’er was to avoid her getting upset with the Ye Family.

Being pregnant with a child, her emotions were already unstable, and it was best to keep her calm now.

During this period, she beckoned Yun Xiu to come over and gave him a few instructions.