CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 97: I’M NO LONGER THE PRIME MINISTER

At the same time, the Ruan Family, who had already arrived at the post station, looked at the table full of food and drinks and were all stunned.

Mr. Ruan and the others looked at Ruan Mian, just about to speak when a man slowly approached from behind them.

He wore a plain robe that was no different from those of the other government officers at the post station, but his graceful figure made him appear quite distinguished.

Only Ruan Qingsong recognized him and was greatly surprised: "Prime Minister... sir?"

After speaking, he greeted Xie Huai’an with a grand salute.

Seeing this, Mr. Ruan was both surprised and delighted, quickly pulling his wife and daughters to pay their respects.

Xie Huai’an quickly stopped them: "Brother Ruan, Uncle, there’s no need for formalities. I’m no longer the Prime Minister, please sit down."

Ruan Qingsong was puzzled, and while raising his cup, Xie Huai’an began recounting his misfortunes.

He also expressed gratitude to Ruan Mian: "If it weren’t for Miss Ruan’s help, I might have lost my life in Ru Ning. This meal should be considered my token of thanks."

"Though I am just a small stationmaster and can’t help you much, I can still ease your hardships to some extent. The tasks here, despite being busy, are much lighter compared to the lumberyards or wall construction sites."

Even Ruan Mian did not expect that he would treat their family so kindly so quickly.

In return, Ruan Mian poured him a drink, to which Xie Huai’an politely responded.

Ruan Qingsong, though just an editor, had served in the same court as Xie Huai’an and had experienced similar false accusations, so he naturally felt a sense of camaraderie and spoke more than usual.

Xie Huai’an showed no airs, always listening politely and cordially, and his gentle and refined demeanor delighted Mrs. Zhang.

Especially seeing the interaction between Ruan Mian and him, after the meal, she immediately approached Ruan Mian to probe.

"Mianmian, is this gentleman the one who has helped us many times before?"

Just after Ruan Mian nodded, Mrs. Zhang spoke.

"I see that this gentleman is humble and courteous, and although wrongly demoted, Song’er has spoken of him as a good official and a very talented man. If... if you could..."

Before she could finish the sentence, Ah Qing couldn’t help but interrupt her mother.

"Mother, although Mr. Xie is indeed good, he is frail and lacks the power to protect Sister. If Sister marries him and is bullied, he might be powerless to help."

"In my mind, Sister is both beautiful and strong; she should be with a heroic general, one with power and influence who can protect her, so that she can escape these harsh days."

"I heard there is a young Border Guard General here, why not consider him..."

"Qing’er, though the General has power and influence, life on the battlefield is filled with killing and uncertainty; how can life be stable like that?"

"We have been exiled to Wuheng and can never return. Since we are here, we should make the best of it..."

"Mother, Big Sister, please stop talking about this."

Ruan Mian found it both amusing and annoying to see them arguing over the issue.

"I have family by my side, enough food, and warm clothes, living comfortably and happily. Why must I marry a man? No matter how good he is, he is not meant for me. If I become strong, I can solve any problem."

Hearing this, Ah Qing was immediately excited: "Yes, yes, Sister is absolutely right!"

But Mrs. Zhang sighed deeply: "Mianmian, for a woman to become strong in this world is not easy. I only wish for you to live well and safely. If you are afraid to accept a new marriage because of your past divorce, don’t be!"

"Mother, it was just a divorce. I never took it to heart."

Seeing her lack of interest, Mrs. Zhang said no more, holding the hands of her two daughters, she spoke earnestly.

"Marriage concerns a woman’s entire life. You should follow your own will. If you truly don’t want to marry, then so be it. I will take care of you for a lifetime."

"Mother... I don’t want to leave you and my sister. I want to stay with you both for life."

Ah Qing clung to them, becoming sentimental.

At this moment, the warmth of family deeply touched Ruan Mian’s heart.

She thought of her past life, alone, surviving in a world surrounded by zombies, never experiencing true affection.

The only family bond she had vanished when her brother died protecting her.

This lifetime made up for that regret.

For this reason, she must make good use of her resources to protect each family member.

...

The tasks Xie Huai’an arranged for them were extremely simple.

Nothing more than tidying up the yard, sweeping the firewood room, carrying water, and shoveling snow.

Ruan Qingsong could even read and write with him.

Upon hearing that Mr. Ruan was self-studying medical books recently, Xie Huai’an even opened an empty room for him, complete with pens, ink, paper, and charcoal, allowing him to study with peace of mind.

In return, Ruan Mian took his diagnosis seriously, striving to help him recover as soon as possible.

But she gradually discovered that Xie Huai’an had not only been suffering from a cold and external injuries but also had internal injuries that hadn’t been revealed earlier.

The pulse indicated signs of poisoning; healing thoroughly would be a prolonged battle, not something quickly resolved.

Yet, what surprised her most was his awareness of the poisoning.

"It’s nothing; it’s been some time, no need to mind it."

"Does the gentleman know who was the culprit?"

"My mother."

When he said this, his expression was quite calm. Seeing Ruan Mian’s astonished look, he gave a bitter smile.

"Miss Ruan, are you feeling sympathetic towards me?"

Ruan Mian was indeed a bit shocked, but the original narrative did not extend the storyline regarding Xie Huai’an’s mother.

So this part was a blank for her.

But the more indifferent Xie Huai’an was, the more she felt that there must be something unusual behind it.

What kind of mother would poison her own child?

But since he didn’t want to elaborate, Ruan Mian didn’t probe further, only saying,

"The gentleman is broad-minded; there must be unspeakable hardships involved. Sympathy isn’t the right word; rather, I feel happy for you."

"Oh? Happy for me?" It was the first time Xie Huai’an had heard someone say they felt happy for him.

Ruan Mian spoke candidly: "The gentleman can speak of this matter so lightly, which likely means it no longer matters to you. Let whoever wants to leap into the pit of fire do so; you have your own bright future."

"In the long journey of life, there’s no need to waste energy on things that deplete oneself."

Unexpectedly, Ruan Mian was the second person to understand him.

The first was the "good brother" who had exiled him to the border.

That night, he received a letter of consolation from this good brother, sent from thousands of miles away.

Reading the letter, Xie Huai’an feigned a pitiful expression, joking with Yue Qi: "We might really die here at the border."

Already on edge, Yue Qi turned pale with fright at these words and began venting his concerns.

"Sir! The official has sent you here under the guise of demotion to do something for him. He certainly won’t abandon you. But what did the official say in that letter?"

Seeing his panicked look, Xie Huai’an smiled: "Just teasing you, no need to worry."

As he restrained his smile, Xie Huai’an’s gaze became gradually sinister.

"The official’s intention is to..."