CHAPTER 322: CHAPTER 314: BEATEN BUT CAN’T SPEAK (2)

Mrs. Luo snorted coldly and rolled her eyes when he mentioned Miss Chai, "She went, but it was as if she hadn’t gone."

Luo Zikun couldn’t understand, so he put down his teacup and asked confusedly, "Grandmother, what does it mean to go but equal not going?"

Mrs. Luo snorted, "On the day of the wedding banquet, she went to the Chai Family’s old house, argued with her sister, and was scolded by her sister-in-law. Even her father-in-law was blamed by her elder brother. Look at what a good job she did! If she hadn’t fallen out with her sister, wouldn’t we have been able to associate with the Li Family? They are relatives of the County Magistrate, more reliable than your identity as a student of the County Magistrate."

Luo Zikun’s face darkened, and he cursed in his heart that Miss Chai was a dumb fool.

What was she thinking, going to offend Chai Eying?

"By the way, Kun’er, during your time in the county town, has Lord County Magistrate checked on your studies every day?" Mrs. Luo asked with concern about her grandson’s career.

Luo Zikun replied awkwardly, "Lord County Magistrate has many affairs to attend to during the day; it’s impossible for him to have time every day. However, from time to time, he still asks and teaches a bit."

He went to the county town to study and for his career, spending a lot of money and through some twists and turns, managed to find Lord County Magistrate.

He brought lavish gifts to pay his respects and asked Lord County Magistrate to accept him as a student.

The County Magistrate agreed, but he didn’t see him every day either.

He only said that if there was something, he would send for him.

He had been in the county town for almost three months, and he had only seen the County Magistrate twice.

But to keep his family from worrying, he didn’t tell the truth.

Mrs. Luo nodded and said with a smile, "It’s good that Lord County Magistrate cares about your studies every day. That’s very good."

The Chai Family wasn’t too far from the Luo Family; they both lived on the marketplace, and it only took a moment on horseback to get there.

The family’s servants quickly brought Miss Chai back.

When Miss Chai heard that Luo Zikun had returned, she couldn’t afford to delay; after all, she was still faking a pregnancy.

She had to hurry to really get pregnant so the false would become true.

As soon as she set foot on the threshold of the main house, Miss Chai very dutifully called out to Luo Zikun, "Husband, you’re back?"

Her voice was sweet beyond measure.

Luo Zikun looked up and saw Miss Chai with a smiling face, but he couldn’t feel any joy.

When he first saw Miss Chai, she was a bright and beautiful woman, but thinking about Chai Eying whom he just met, Miss Chai seemed quite less impressive.

Luo Zikun wasn’t very pleased, so his tone was not very good, "In this hot weather, where have you been? Why aren’t you attending to Grandmother?"

Miss Chai was taken aback by his words.

They had been married only a few days before parting, and hadn’t seen each other for three months, yet the first thing he did upon seeing her was reprimand her?

Couldn’t she make a trip back to her own family?

Miss Chai felt sour in her heart, and she stepped forward, saying, "I’ve been attending to Grandmother every day, but this morning my family’s grandmother suddenly sent for me, so I went back for a short visit. When I heard Husband had returned, I came straight home. Was your journey tiring, Husband?"

She looked aggrieved, sat close to Luo Zikun, and cautiously reached out to hold his arm.

Unexpectedly, her hand touched Luo Zikun’s pain.

That spot had been hit hard by Li Xingmao’s rod, and it had been aching. To avoid family noticing, Luo Zikun had kept enduring it.

But now, being touched by Miss Chai, Luo Zikun couldn’t endure it anymore and cried out, "Ouch."

Miss Chai was startled, "Hus... Husband."

Luo Zikun glared at her with displeasure.

Miss Chai felt even more aggrieved; she hadn’t done anything wrong, she had just touched her husband’s waist.

Did Luo Zikun need to shout like that?

It was as if she had beaten him up.

"What’s going on?" Mrs. Luo asked with concern, "Where does it hurt?"

Unable to keep it hidden any longer, Luo Zikun had to say, "I fell off a horse."

Miss Chai was shocked and looked up, only then noticing the bruises on Luo Zikun’s face.

She quickly asked with concern, "Husband, was the fall serious?"

Mrs. Luo grew anxious, slapping her thigh and exclaiming, "It’s serious if it’s hurting enough to cry out! Xingniang, go quickly and get a doctor to take a look."

Miss Chai was frightened and panicked, urging those around her to quickly fetch a doctor.

Luo Zikun could bear it no longer, pretending to be injured from falling off his horse, and was taken back to his quarters by Miss Chai’s arrangement.

The doctor was summoned, and after examining Luo Zikun’s injuries, felt puzzled, for even with his limited skills, he could see that Luo Zikun had been beaten.

But why did Luo Zikun claim he fell off his horse?

Why lie about it?

Was the person who attacked him more formidable than Luo Zikun?

In this village, not even the Pavilion Chief dared to provoke the Luo Family, so who had the audacity to beat Luo Zikun, and why would Luo Zikun not dare to say?

Luo Zikun refused to speak, so the doctor stopped asking, prescribed some internal and external medications, received his consultation fee, and left.

But the doctor couldn’t hold his liquor, and once home, he was pulled by his neighbor to drink. After a few drinks, he was drunk and spoke the truth.

He spilled the beans about Luo Zikun being beaten.

His neighbor, a big mouth, spread the word far and wide, and before half a day was over, news of Luo Zikun being beaten but not daring to say so had spread through the market street and nearby villages.

When it reached the Pavilion Chief, he slapped his thigh in realization and said, "I knew it, Luo Zikun clearly looked like he was beaten, but why did he lie?"

His son said, "Could it be that Luo Zikun did something shameful and got caught, resulting in a beating? Did he suffer in silence?"

The Pavilion Chief nodded, "Hmm, possible." Then he sneered, "Appears to be a gentleman, yet he did something disgraceful?"

The rumors made their way to Mrs. Luo.

Mrs. Luo, anxious and angry, refused assistance from a maid and went to ask Luo Zikun who had beaten him.

Luo Zikun had to tell the truth.

Of course, he dared not speak in front of the servants, nor let Miss Chai hear.

Mrs. Luo inhaled sharply, "What? You... you were beaten by Li Family’s eldest son? Then... how can we report this! He’s a relative of Lord County Magistrate."

"Why did he hit you?" Mrs. Luo asked upon realizing.

"Hmph, wasn’t it because of Chai Eying? She’s still fond of me, and her husband couldn’t handle it, not hitting her but me instead." Luo Zikun replied angrily.

Mrs. Luo stomped her foot in anger, "Grandson, good thing you didn’t marry Chai Eying, she’s trouble! A vixen! Whoever marries her is cursed! We’re lucky to rid of her."

Luo Zikun recalled Chai Eying scolding him and angrily said, "Who says otherwise, I saw her bad character and temper, so I didn’t want to marry her. Her second sister is much better."

Mrs. Luo patted Luo Zikun’s hand, "Grandson, don’t be angry, though we can’t speak ill of the Li Family, we can speak of Chai Eying, right? Next time I see her, I’ll definitely say something! No, I’ll say it in front of her husband! Better yet, let her husband divorce her!"

Luo Zikun squinted, divorce her?

He held a faint smile at his lips, "Grandmother, she simply isn’t worthy of the Li Family."

"Exactly, she’s not worthy!" Mrs. Luo echoed in anger.

After Mrs. Luo left, Luo Zikun immediately asked the coachman whether he was the one who leaked the news of him being beaten.

The coachman looked innocent, hurriedly waving a hand, "It wasn’t me, young master, you know it, my mouth’s always sealed, I’ve followed you for years and never said a word about your matters."

"Then who was it?" Luo Zikun squinted, pondering.

The doctor was a frequent family hire, one of his own, unlikely to speak recklessly, so it must be someone else?

At this moment, Miss Chai entered the room, "Husband, how is it after applying the medicine?"

Luo Zikun looked up at her, recalling her shouting at Mrs. Luo’s, "You were beaten?" Could it have been her who spread it?

Luo Zikun motioned for the coachman to leave, then asked Miss Chai immediately, "Xingniang, did you speak of my injuries to outsiders?"

Miss Chai shook her head, "Husband, how would I speak to outsiders? Certainly not."

Luo Zikun’s expression darkened, again he queried, "Really wasn’t you?"

Miss Chai wouldn’t admit, "Husband, it really wasn’t me, why would I speak of your matters outside? Hurting you would only hurt myself, we’re husband and wife."

She felt extremely aggrieved, why didn’t Luo Zikun trust her?

It wasn’t like that before.

Luo Zikun in his heart, placed Chai Eying above Miss Chai, regretted marrying Miss Chai, though she claimed it wasn’t her gossiping, Luo Zikun couldn’t warm to her.

Humans are peculiar creatures, when liking someone, that person’s flaws become merits.

When disliking someone, all their merits turn into flaws.