CHAPTER 226: CHAPTER 226: GOOD IDEA

Yu Xiaolian and Su Jingchen pulled a cartload of thick clothes back. Seeing that Old Master Sun and Fourth Master Sun were already asleep from exhaustion, they didn’t wake them. Instead, they told Sun Dalin, "Dalin, keep an eye on the things. The clothes inside the cart belong to everyone. I also bought some eggs, they’re in there too. Don’t let anyone steal them."

As Yu Xiaolian said this, she deliberately glanced at the mother and daughter of the Duan family.

"Hey, I’ll just stand here in front of the cart and watch it, ensuring those shameless people don’t steal anything."

Sun Dalin agreed with Yu Xiaolian with a laugh, while turning his head to glare at the mother and daughter of the Duan family.

Madam Duan was instructing her daughter to keep an eye on their cart and bags. She planned to go out and buy some more food. Hearing Yu Xiaolian’s insinuating words, she immediately ran angrily towards her.

Madam Duan spittle flying, shouted, "Pah! Just a few lousy eggs, do you think I’m interested? Go ask Su Jingchen, is my family’s business big or not? My husband’s business is no worse than the Su Family’s. When we came from the south, we brought all our possessions with us. Do you know how much money my family has? Do you know? Just saying it might scare you."

Yu Xiaolian’s lips curled into a meaningful smile, "Really? Since you have so much money, do you dare to go somewhere with me?"

Madam Duan blurted out, "Dare, why wouldn’t I?"

Ning Chuyu pulled Madam Duan back, "Mom, he doesn’t have good intentions, don’t fall for his trap!"

Seeing Madam Duan’s hesitance, Yu Xiaolian mocked, "If you had money, would you still be thinking about stealing our buns?

Who would believe you have money?"

Madam Duan couldn’t stand Yu Xiaolian’s mockery, snatched the bundle Ning Chuyu was holding, wanting to open it, "Today I’ll let this brat who’s never seen the world open his eyes, let you know what a silver note is."

"Mom!" Ning Chuyu exclaimed anxiously.

"These three carts belong to this brat. How could he not have seen silver notes? Can’t you calculate how much these three carts would cost together?

You get provoked and fall for it, without using your brain. No wonder dad is planning to divorce you. If I were a man, I’d divorce you too!"

Madam Duan was shocked to hear her daughter screaming and talking so recklessly.

She stared dumbfoundedly at Ning Chuyu, as if she couldn’t believe her own daughter was scolding her like this.

She ignored the Sun Family’s glares and spit, acted as if she didn’t see them.

But this was her own daughter whom she had raised for over ten years, how could she scold her like this? How could she side with outsiders to bully her?

Sun Daji’s wife woke up from the noise and came out of the dilapidated temple, "Yo, no wonder you don’t seem sad your husband died, turns out your husband had already turned his back on you long ago. Now that he’s dead, you’ve inherited all the family property, aren’t you secretly thrilled?"

In fact, what Sun Daji’s wife said was quite true. After Ning Baoku died, Madam Duan was initially heartbroken and frightened, then only joy remained.

Because when they came south, Ning Baoku said that once they settled in Caozhou, he wanted to take a beautiful concubine to give him a son.

Madam Duan agreed to this because if she didn’t, Ning Baoku wouldn’t have taken her along. She had no choice but to agree.

Throughout the journey, Madam Duan was worried about the future, fearing that if Ning Baoku indeed took a concubine and had a son, she and her daughter’s lives would be difficult.

Previously, Ning Baoku had been poor and was an honest and content man, but after doing business with Su Dafu for several years, he earned quite a bit of money, and the family became prosperous. Along with that, Ning Baoku’s demeanor changed too.

Lately, Ning Baoku became richer, not only frequenting brothels but also establishing ties with the wealthy boss Ma in River Bend, looking down on Su Dafu who had brought him up.

Eventually, Ning Baoku was killed by a bandit’s knife to the neck, and Madam Duan cried. It’s hard to tell if it was out of fright or sadness, or maybe both.

After Sun Family and Su Jingchen buried Ning Baoku, Madam Duan was dazed for a while but soon began acting as if nothing had happened.

She had over eight hundred taels in her bundle, enough for her and her daughter to live for a lifetime without spending it all. Why wouldn’t she be happy?

Though Madam Duan was hit hard by her daughter, upon seeing Sun Daji’s wife, her fighting spirit was immediately reignited.

Madam Duan snorted heavily, "My husband’s gone and left me enough wealth to live my life without worries, what can your husband give you while he’s alive?

He can barely feed you, let alone provide anything else. Since you aren’t sad, why should I be?"

Sun Daji’s wife put her hands on her hips, "When my husband met bandits, him risking his life to protect me was enough, unlike you, with no man.

Clinging shamelessly to the men of our Sun Family."

Sun Daji also came out to support his wife, "Exactly, if you have any backbone, you’d leave on your own, don’t follow us!"

Yu Xiaolian added fuel to the fire, "I know where the Escort Agency in Weicheng is, aren’t you rich? You could easily hire an escort to take you to Caozhou.

It’s both dignified and safe, why bother following us?"

"Exactly, we don’t welcome you, can’t you see?" Sun Sanji’s wife said.

Ning Chuyu looked at Yu Xiaolian, "So, earlier, you were intending to take my mom to the Escort Agency?"

Yu Xiaolian raised an eyebrow, "What about it? Do you want to go?"

Ning Chuyu first lowered her head in silence, then cautiously cast her gaze towards Su Jingchen standing behind Yu Xiaolian.

Ning Chuyu looked at Su Jingchen, her voice tender and full of grievance, "Brother Jingchen, you... do you not want us following you anymore? Is it your idea that they’re pushing us away?"

In fact, after Su Dafu and Ning Baoku arranged the engagement for the two children, Su Jingchen had only met Ning Chuyu three times.

That is to say, they weren’t familiar with each other.

He didn’t even know why Ning Chuyu could be so intimate and familiar, calling him Brother Jingchen.

Ning Chuyu stared at Su Jingchen with extremely resentful eyes, as if he were a heartless man.

Su Jingchen looked at Yu Xiaolian, his brows easing, "Going to the Escort Agency to hire escorts is indeed a good idea."

Why hadn’t he thought of that before?

He thought that irritating people were irritating, bear with them for a few days, endure it till Caozhou, and it’d be over.

Now there was an option not to bring them along and still ensure their safety, Su Jingchen naturally wouldn’t oppose it.

To say nothing else, along the way, Madam Duan quarreled with this one or that one, being the type who if didn’t quarrel one day, would rise early to do so the next.

To be honest, Su Jingchen had long been extremely annoyed, and was even more relieved to have annulled the engagement with Ning Chuyu. Such a troublesome mother-in-law, whoever encounters her would have enough to deal with.

Ning Chuyu said urgently, "But... Brother Jingchen, would hiring escorts cost a lot of money? My mother and I don’t have much money..."

"Didn’t your mother just boast about having enough money not to spend it all in a lifetime? How come the money’s suddenly not enough?"

Sun Daji’s wife rolled her eyes at Ning Chuyu, "What’s the matter? Got used to using us as free bodyguards? If you want to follow us, that’s fine too. You pay a hundred taels, and we’ll escort you and your mother to Caozhou. Are you willing?"