Edited by Lord Immortal
Geng Zhishan held her with his hands. He would like to explain it, but he knew he"d better say nothing. So he merely smiled foolishly. Xie Mengxuan would doubt him if he really did so. After all, how could a foolish man understand her real thoughts?
But even so, Xie Mengxuan could understand what had happened. She sauntered to the riverside, only to discover the water was too dirty to see the bottom of it. She didn"t find out anything suspicious when she looked around. Everything was simple here, but she still focused very carefully as if she had remembered something.
After watching for a while, Xie Mengxuan waved her hands and said, "Let"s go back."
Geng Zhishan nodded and carried her on his back. He didn"t know that her eyes had been staring at his neck just like a wolf seeing the meat.
As soon as they took a step, the gra.s.s on the other side of the river swayed. After a while, there came a gentleman with his arms on his back, followed by a peasant woman—Aunt Cui.
"Childe, everything is well arranged. You"ll get what you want tomorrow morning.
Looking at the departure direction of Xie Mengxuan, a smile flashed on the childe"s face. He raised his head slightly, squinted at Mrs. Cui, and said, "Don"t worry. If everything goes as planned, I will pay to fulfill my promise."
"Xie Mengxuan, I finally find you."
The man smiled and said, "Don"t make any mistakes tomorrow. Everything is supposed to be done carefully."
Aunt Cui rubbed her hands while her eyes rolling quickly. After a second thought, she said, "Yes, childe… if Geng Zhishan"s wife really drowned, what…"
The man laughed grimly, "Her life has nothing to do with you."
Although Aunt Cui didn"t know his ident.i.ty, she had the insight to follow him blindly. Her family had more money to support their livings these days. So she trusted the man completely.
"Yeah, yeah, thank you for your help. I will get things done."
"Em, fine."
His eyes flashed with fleeting disgust. He walked up to the riverside to look at the muddy river that would change some people"s fate, such as himself.
The man was in a good mood and granted Aunt Cui two small ingots of sliver. Then he left as he still had something to do.
Aunt Cui went home with the money happily. When she pa.s.sed the house of the two brothers of the Zhao family, she entered their house and told them to find a pig cage as soon as possible. She gave them an ingot of silver and then went home at a brisk pace.
Nothing exciting happened in the village usually. But this time, the events of Xie Mengxuan aroused the villagers" interests. After dinner, they gathered together to talk about recent happenings.
They were all rather relaxed since they had gotten some money these days. Everyone was eating snack and chatting under the tree to amuse themselves while stretching their arms and legs.
The crowd gathered together as if they were close friends and looked at Geng"s shabby house as if even their eyes were telling that he was stupid.
In the house, Geng Zhishan squatted in front of the stove to cook fish soup for Xie Mengxuan. His facial expression was careful and serious. However, Xie Mengxuan sat leisurely in a small chair in the front of the kitchen. Looking at the serious man, she couldn"t help giggling. "Darling, how can you laugh at this moment?" Geng Zhishan seemed to be angry when he heard her voice and dropped the firewood in his hands.
Xie Mengxuan shrugged her shoulders and said innocently. "Why can"t I laugh? Haven"t you called me your wife? Haven"t you said you will protect me? Since you will try your best to protect me, what am I worried about?"
Geng Zhishan was a little anxious and said, "Darling, the river here is so deep. If you were to sink into the river, I can"t save you in time."
"If you can"t save me, someone else will do it." Mengxuan meaningfully looked at him.
Geng Zhishan replied with a frigid smile, but he covered it up quickly. He seemed to be very anxious. In fact, he was not as worried as he showed on the surface. He could protect her by revealing his ident.i.ty in advance. "But why did the girl give me such a suggestive look? Hasn"t she found something abnormal?" he thought.
Xie Mengxuan"s lips moved in an attempt to speak. There must be something that Geng Zhishan was hiding. His hands were different from those ordinary peasants who had calluses on all fingers. But he only had calluses on only two fingers which differed him from a real peasant.
She once wondered about his motives behind getting close to her. But he had treated her so sincerely these days that she changed her mind. And now an opportunity had arisen thanks to Aunt Cui. It was time for her to find out the truth. However, would he be a friend or a foe?
Xie Mengxuan looked at the pigeon cooing at the corner and said, "What a fat pigeon. It must taste delicious when it is cooked."
Geng Zhishan glanced at the pigeon, and his eyes turned red. Xie Mengxuan was stunned and turned solemn, "What"s wrong? You can"t bear to leave me? I have great confidence in you. However, don"t you have the courage to save me?"
Xie Mengxuan had a gentle voice. Geng Zhishan gave her a quick look, then trotted in front of her, pressed her hand gently, and said eagerly, "Darling, let"s run away together tonight. Shall we? If we go somewhere far away from here, they won"t find us."
Xie Mengxuan frowned, and while waving her hands willfully, she hummed, "No, I won"t. I haven"t been treated like this since I was born. I am forthright and aboveboard in all my dealings. But now I cannot rest easy under such imputation. I should be publicly cleared from it."
Geng Zhishan caught her shoulders and raised his voice, "By doing so, you may lose your life. Don"t you understand that?"
"I do believe that you will protect me. Ain"t I right?" Xie Mengxuan blinked and said gently. A long silence followed. Then, she said, "I am not trusting the wrong person, am I? Will you disappoint me?"
Geng Zhishan didn"t reply. He just grilled the pigeon without saying anything.
At night, Geng Zhishan slept outside the bedroom whereas Xie Mengxuan lay in the bed. She was worried that if her speculation were wrong, how she could get out of danger.
Geng Zhishan lay on his side and sighed. He did know that Xie Mengxuan was too wayward in testing him. But suddenly, his lips curved into a perceptible smile. He glanced at the slip of paper in his hand and could see it clearly even though it was tiny. He knew that he didn"t need to worry about Mengxuan.
The person behind them would appear tomorrow.