Chapter 45: Family Reunion

Shu Yu still had no idea that Lu Sanzhu had already set off from home in a hurry to come and find her.

At this moment, she was leading Ruan Shi and the twins, who were curious about everything, to Xu's medical clinic. The clinic was as desolate as ever, and the clerk behind the counter was yawning while making medicine.

He suddenly raised his head upon hearing some noise and saw Shu Yu. He stood up and smiled, "Miss Shu is here? Uncle Lu and the others are resting inside. Just go in."

"Thank you."

Shu Yu and the others lifted the door curtain and entered the backyard. Only Lu Erbai was living in Xu's medical clinic now, and it seemed a bit lonely.

Shu Yu walked to the room on the far side and was about to enter, but Ruan Shi said to her, "Er Ya, wait outside for a while. Let me go in and explain the situation to your father and your grandmother, and let them be psychologically prepared."

"Okay."

Ruan Shi took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Shu Yu only stood in the courtyard for a moment before a sudden cry came from inside, "You, what did you say?"

The next moment, the door was pushed open, and the old lady rushed out, grabbing her shoulders with both hands and staring at her with burning eyes. "You, you are Er Ya?"

Shu Yu nodded slowly, "Yes."

The old lady's lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. Then she lifted Shu Yu's sleeve and looked at her arm and back of her neck. After looking, she cried and laughed, and then hugged her tightly for a long time.

"Er Ya, good Er Ya, you finally came back. You finally came back."

After old lady's embrace, Shu Yu had calmed down. She gently patted the old lady's back to comfort her and looked inside the room through her shoulder, Lu Erbai was lying on the bed, unable to move his legs, but he was looking at this side with excitement. His eyes were red, and he opened his mouth to say something.

After a long time, the old lady finally calmed down, and Shu Yu helped her into the room.

Lu Erbai looked eager, with too many words in his heart to say, but in the end, he only emphasized two words, "Good, good."

As long as they were safe, and could reunite, nothing else mattered.

The old lady held Shu Yu's hand and talked to her in the room for a long time.

The old lady was furious when she learned that the old woman Ruan had come to their house again with a fake person and almost fooled Ruan Shi. She angrily cursed, "What bad ideas is that old witch up to again? She never learns, always doing these despicable and wicked things. She has a heart as black as coal."

"Don't worry, whatever evil intentions she has, she won't succeed. Don't be angry," Shu Yu comforted them.

Just then, Doctor Xu arrived to change the bandage for Lu Er Bai's wound. The old lady closed her mouth and left Ruan to help, while everyone else left the room.

Shu Yu said to the old lady, "I'll go to the pharmacy and get some medicine. You can rest here for a while."

"What medicine do you need? Are you feeling unwell?" The old lady became nervous immediately.

"No, I'm getting medicine for San Ya. I want to help her get rid of the scar on her face," Shu Yu explained.

"Scar removal?" The old lady exclaimed in surprise and looked at her and then at San Ya.

San Ya smiled and nodded happily. Da Hu couldn't even pretend to be serious anymore and grabbed Shu Yu's hand, asking, "Second sister, can San Ya's face really be healed? Can it?" 

(End of chapter)

Chapter 44: Something Big Happened

San Ya seemed to understand but not quite, while Da Hu pretended to casually listen in with his ears perked up.

Shu Yu noticed right away that the little one probably imitated adults in the way he spoke and acted, likely because he was the only boy in the Lu family and wanted to appear more mature. Despite being extremely curious, he didn't say a word and kept a composed demeanor. Even though his joyful feelings couldn't be expressed, he silently stayed by the side, making others feel both heartbroken and comforted.

San Ya relied on her a lot and had become familiar with her by now, so she stuck close to Shu Yu and asked, "Second sister, where is that handsome man you were talking about?"

"I don't know." Shu Yu shook her head. She had only seen that man twice a year ago and knew only his surname was Meng.

Back then, at Dongqing Temple, she and Lu Erbai àhad both been seriously injured and were healed by a wandering doctor passing by.

The owner of that wandering doctor, was this Meng Gongzi who had a pleasant voice.

Meng Gongzi was just passing by while she was recuperating, and they had never met again since then.

San Ya wanted to ask more, but Ruan shi had already beckoned them, "The cart is here, hurry up and get on, we're leaving."

The few of them stopped talking and climbed onto the cart.

There were already two people on the cart, and with the four of them, it suddenly became quite crowded.

Fortunately, both Da Hu and San Ya were thin and weak children, so they could be held on laps without any problem.

The cart made its way towards the county town, picking up two more people along the way until it was full and couldn't take any more passengers.

Most villagers who went to the county town to sell their goods still relied on their own legs to get there since the cart cost one or two coins per ride, which they couldn't afford.

Ruan shi also felt sorry about this, but the money had to be spent.

As the few of them sat on the swaying cart, San Ya almost fell asleep in Shu Yu's arms when the cart finally stopped.

"We've arrived."

San Ya was carried down by Shu Yu and held hands with Da Hu. Looking up at the high city wall in front of them, she exclaimed with joy, "So this is the county town!"

Ruan Shi was taken aback and felt a bit sad. Yes, their family's conditions were not good, and she had never even brought the two children to the county town before.

Shu Yu held one of their hands and said, "Let's go to the medical hall first."

The group of four followed the lively crowd and entered the city gate. At this time, Lu Sanzhu was running back home with a hurried pace and sweating profusely.

His urgent appearance frightened Liang Shi. She couldn't help but curse, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Why are you running so fast? Is there a dog chasing after you?"

Lu Sanzhu didn't mind her bad attitude. He scooped up a ladle of water from the tank and drank it down refreshing himself before saying, "Something big has happened. Something really big."

"What happened? Where did you go so early in the morning?" Liang Shi asked.

"I'll tell you what, Er Ya is amazing. She really hit the nail on the head. She's a genius." Lu Sanzhu marveled while walking out.

Liang Shi pulled him back and asked, "Explain it clearly. What happened?"

"Oh, I can't explain it clearly right now. I'm going to find Er Ya first." Lu Sanzhu said.

"Er Ya is not here. Er Sister-in-law and their family have gone to the county town." Liang Shi informed him.

"Gone to the county town?" Lu Sanzhu frowned, then sat back down and vigorously fanned himself with a fan, "Then I'll wait for them to come back."

However, he stood up suddenly after sitting for a while, "No, I can't wait. I'm going to the county town to find Er Ya. I'll tell you, this is such an important message. If I tell her, I might get some benefits."

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 43: The Most Handsome Man

As soon as they locked the gate, Shu Yu heard Liang Shi's voice from behind, "Oh, Er Sao, where are you going?"

Actually, Ruan Shi and Liang Shi didn't have much contact, and they even had a few conflicts before. They usually acted like they didn't know each other when they met.

Who knew that Liang Shi would take the initiative to talk to her today? Was it because of the noodles yesterday?

Ruan Shi replied in a low voice, "Er Ya has gone back home, and we're going to the county to see mother."

Liang Shi sneered secretly, but smiled on her face, "Alright, take care, Er Sao."

Ruan Shi nodded and took her two children to leave.

When Shu Yu passed by Liang Shi, she asked, "Why didn't I see Third Uncle?"

"Oh, him? He went out early in the morning. Is Er Ya looking for him?" Liang Shi's eyes sparkled.

Shu Yu just smiled, "No, I just asked casually."

She thought that Lu Sanzhu must have gone to inquire about old lady Ruan's matter. She didn't expect that he would be so interested in this kind of thing, as he usually didn't work and was always scheming.

But it was just as well, she wanted to know as soon as possible too.

The four of them soon arrived at the village entrance, and San Ya kept holding Shu Yu's hand tightly, occasionally looking up at her.

Several times, she almost fell, but Shu Yu held her up.

There were not many people at the village entrance. They set off a bit late, and the villagers who went to the county town had already left early in the morning.

If Ruan Shi were alone, she could have walked to the county town directly. Now they could only wait for a ox cart at the village entrance. Usually, only one or two ox carts or donkey carts passed by, and they were all in the early morning.

Today is market day, and there are two more carts pulling in customers. Shu Yu looked around and saw a large rock not far away. She was about to call Ruan Shi to sit there when Da Hu grabbed her hand.

She was surprised and looked down at him.

Da Hu pointed to a person approaching them and whispered, "Second sister, look, that's Tang Xiucai from our village. He's very impressive. He's only eighteen years old and has already passed the Xiucai exam."

Shu Yu raised her head and saw the young man approaching. He was indeed very young, with a thin figure and a book box on his back. He seemed to have just returned from the county or town.

As he approached, Da Hu was afraid he would hear them, so he quickly closed his mouth, but his eyes were full of envy and admiration for Tang Xiucai.

Tang Xiucai passed by them without looking sideways and quickly entered the village.

After he disappeared, San Ya said, "Second sister, isn't Tang Xiucai very handsome? He's the most handsome person I've ever seen, and he must be very smart because he studies so well."

Shu Yu couldn't help but laugh. "Is he the most handsome? I've seen someone even more outstanding, someone who is a talented and handsome man with a refined appearance, like a peerless beauty. Although when he smiles, it looks a bit fake, but it doesn't detract from his exquisite facial features and magnetic voice."

That kind of voice that could impregnate your ears is probably referring to that person.

San Ya widened her eyes. "Second sister, you used so many idioms just now, you're so knowledgeable."

Shuyu chuckled. "..." Is that your main point?

"Second sister, what does guang feng ji yue mean?" asked Sanya.

Do you mean "guang feng jie yue"?

San Ya laughed. "It means having an open-minded and generous heart and temperament."

(End of chapter)

The term "Er Sao" (二嫂) is a Chinese phrase that translates to "second sister-in-law" in English. It is commonly used to refer to the wife of the second oldest brother in a family. The character "Er" (二) means "second," and "Sao" (嫂) means "sister-in-law" or "older brother's wife."

 Chapter 42: A Family Goes to the County town 

Shu Yu smiled as she watched San Ya, who was being cautious, and picked her up and placed her on the bed.

The little girl immediately burrowed herself into the thin blanket, revealing a pair of cute and happy eyes.

Shu Yu lay down beside her and whispered, "Did you tell your mother that you came over here?"

"Yes, I did," San Ya obediently nodded her head.

With that, Shu Yu felt relieved and gently patted her hand.

The little girl was probably feeling a little hot, as she slowly uncovered the blanket and stared at Shu Yu.

Shu Yu chuckled, "You're not going to sleep?"

"Second sister, I really like you," San Ya said.

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise. The little girl felt a little embarrassed, but still whispered, "I'm happy that you're my second sister, and my brother is happy too."

"I know, and I'm also happy that you're my little sister and brother," Shu Yu replied.

San Ya immediately smiled, and as she did, the scar on her face became more apparent.

Without thinking, Shu Yu reached out and touched the scar. The little girl's body suddenly stiffened and she shrank her neck, turning her face away, trying to cover up the scar. "Second sister, it's ugly."

"It's not ugly," Shu Yu comforted her. "Didn't I tell you before? We can get rid of that scar. Tomorrow, I'll go to the county and get some medicine from the pharmacy. Before you know it, San Ya will become a little beauty."

The little girl's eyes lit up at these words, "Second sister, I don't need to become a little beauty. You're already one." She quietly held Shu Yu's hand, feeling very content.

After a while, she raised her head again and whispered, "Second sister, can I go to the county with you?"

San Ya was already five years old and had never been to the county seat. The farthest place she had been to was the village where Da Ya got married.

She wanted to go to the county town with her second sister and also wanted to see her father and grandmother. If her father knew that her second sister had returned, he would definitely be very happy.

Shu Yu naturally had no objections, "Okay, not only you, but we will all go."

Since they were recognized as relatives, they naturally had to formally meet the old lady and Lu Erbai. Besides, she estimated that tomorrow Ruan Shi should go to the county town to exchange shifts with the old lady.

The old lady was getting old, and it was not good for her to take care of patients all the time.

If both she and Ruan Shi were not at home, there would only be two five-year-old children left. It was better to take them along.

San Ya became excited after hearing this, and her smile became even more brilliant. She felt that she hadn't smiled this much in a year, but she was really happy today.

The little girl closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly.

Shu Yu listened to her steady breathing, pulled up the thin quilt, and put her hand flat.

With this movement, she discovered that San Ya was holding two candies in her hand.

These candies... were the ones she bought.

Shu Yu suddenly remembered the conversation she and Da Hu had when they sat outside the hall. They said that when they found the second sister, they would give her the candies to eat, so that she would no longer be miserable.

Shu Yu took a deep breath and looked at San Ya's slightly raised mouth, unable to help but smile.

The next day, Ruan Shi did come and say she was going to the county town.

She was originally going to tell Shu Yu yesterday, but there were too many things going on, and she forgot for a moment.

She also intended to take Shu Yu with her. Finding the second sister was such a big deal that she naturally had to tell her husband and mother-in-law.

Therefore, the two of them decided to go together. After breakfast, Ruan Shi carried a basket on her back, took Lu Erbai and her own clothes and daily necessities, and left with Shu Yu, Da Hu, and San Ya.

Editor's note:

Ruan shi is Lu Er bai wife ( fl mother) her in-law also called her Er Sao

Old lady Ruan or Ruan Pozi is Ruan shi mother 

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 41: Wanting to sleep with Second Sister

Ruan Shi closed the door behind her. "You can sit on the bed. Mother will patch you up in no time."

Shu Yu instinctively refused, "No need. I can do it myself. I..."

Wait, she didn't know how to sew.

Shu Yu covered her face. She was talented in both literature and martial arts and had a quick mind, but she really couldn't sew.

In her past life, she didn't need to learn. With a wealthy master, all her clothes were custom-made. Many clothes were never worn again and didn't need washing, let alone needing to be sewn.

In this life, there were maids in the Shu family. The original "Shu Yu" knew how to embroider. However, after she crossed over, she only inherited memories and her hands didn't listen to her. So she had never sewn any clothes.

Ruan Shi smiled at her but didn't point it out. She had already lit the candle.

She put on the needle and thread, and asked Shu Yu to take off her skirt. Ruan Shi deftly hooked the thread with her hands.

Shu Yu sat quietly on the side, watching Ruan Shi's soft face appear and disappear in the candlelight. She suddenly felt warmth in her heart.

Her hand slowly touched her chest, and Shu Yu quickly lowered her head.

In her past life, she lived in hatred and hadn't felt this warmth for a long time.

"Okay, see if it's good." Ruan's voice rang out, quickly bringing Shu Yu back to reality.

She hurriedly looked up and took the skirt that Ruan handed her.

Upon closer inspection, she found that there was no trace of stitching. "This..."

Ruan laughed. "Mother's only good at this much. The torn part of the skirt was small, and it didn't need a patch. Besides, it was at the hem of the skirt. By folding it a little, the thread could be hidden, and it would not be visible."

When she said this, there was a glow on her face.

Shu Yu saw this expression for the first time on Ruan Shi, who was usually timid and silent.

She reached out and touched her, smiling, "Thank you, I really like it."

"What are you thanking mother for?" Ruan Shi hesitated for a moment, then patted her hand back, "If you like it, then mother is relieved."

She put the needle and thread back in the basket and stood up, saying, "Mother will go out first. You should rest earlier."

"Okay."

Ruan Shi turned around and went out, but when she got to the door, she hesitated and turned her head, "Er Ya..."

"Um? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. Mother is going." Ruan Shi eventually pursed her lips and left.

In fact, she really wanted Er Ya to call her "mother."

Although Er Ya had recognized them again, Ruan Shi knew that she hadn't fully accepted them from the bottom of her heart, so she had never called her mother.

But it didn't matter. She understood. Er Ya had been away from home for many years, so she was already satisfied with the current relationship they had.

The door closed again, and Shu Yu lay on the bed, touching the hem of her skirt and suddenly laughed.

In fact, the Lu family was pretty good, right?

"Second sister? Second sister?" Just as Shu Yu closed her eyes, a cat-like voice came from outside.

Upon hearing this voice, she knew it was San Ya.

Shu Yu looked towards the direction of the windowsill and indeed saw her showing a round forehead, with her eyes barely visible.

She wanted to laugh, got up, and opened the door.

San Ya was still trying hard to reach the windowsill with her tiptoes.

"Over here."

Shu Yu waved to her, and San Ya turned her head, saw Shu Yu standing at the door, and hurriedly ran over happily.

Shu Yu led her inside and asked her, "How did you come over? Why don't you go to bed so late?"

"Second sister." San Ya held her hand and asked in a small voice, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

(The end of this chapter)

 Chapter 40: The Remaining Silver

Liang Shi nodded. "Okay, okay, I'll go later." A bowl of such delicious food was not enough.

But just as she finished speaking, Lu Sanzhu, who was slurping noodles, lifted his head and swallowed two strands of meat, saying, "Don't bother going."

"Why not? Don't worry, this time I'll go with Da Bao. Da Bao is a child, so Second Sister-in-law wouldn't refuse, right?"

Lu Sanzhu sighed. "It's not just about Second Sister-in-law. Now there's Second Missy…" He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Let's forget it."

"Is Er Ya hard to deal with?"

"More than just hard to deal with." Lu Sanzhu suddenly fell silent, with a hint of emotion. "In the future, Second Brother's family's life will only get better. We better not offend Er Ya, you know?" He pointed to the bowl of noodles in front of them. "We didn't get this for free."

Liang Shi didn't take it seriously. She knew Er Ya was from a good family, but she was an elder, and Da Bao was just a child. Could she really harm them?

But the family affairs always followed Lu Sanzhu's lead. Since he said so, Liang naturally couldn't do anything else. She reluctantly gave a third of her own bowl of noodles to her son.

After dinner, it had gotten dark outside, and the Lu family had finished the entire pot of noodles.

Ruan shi and the others were rarely full and even felt like they needed to digest. They had never experienced such a feeling before in their lives.

Ruan shi didn't let Shu Yu do any more work. She, with Da Hua and San Ya, quickly finished all the chores like washing dishes, feeding chickens, and cleaning the yard.

Shu Yu went back to her room and took out her purse to count her money.

When Shu Yu left the Shu family, she didn't take a single penny from them. Most of the Shu family's money was dirty, and Shu Dalao's accumulation of wealth was unscrupulous. When the Shu family was exiled three months later, these accounts would be scrutinized and accounted for by government officials.

Although Shu Yu knew that she couldn't escape the fate of exile, she didn't want to add another charge when she was cleared. She still wanted to get away immediately after being exiled, to avoid trouble, especially since it would be troublesome to carry the Shu family's money.

So when she left the city, she only had the sixty taels of silver that she had earned herself.

Sixty taels of silver, of which Lu Erbai's leg treatment alone would require at least fifteen taels.

To be on the safe side, Shu Yu prepared twenty taels of silver.

After deducting this amount, the remaining money was the cost of her journey from the capital, and she used one and a half taels to rent a carriage. In addition, she spent about five hundred wen on buying meat, snacks, rice, flour, and other things today, as well as her dining expenses outside.

So now, she only had thirty-eight taels of silver that she could use. 

Thirty-eight taels of silver might be a large sum for the villagers of Shishi Village, and many households probably didn't have half that amount in savings.

But for Shu Yu, it was still too little. She had many places where she needed money, and it seemed that the urgent task was to make money as soon as possible.

Just as she was thinking about this, she heard a knock at the door.

Shu Yu put away the silver and got up to open the door.

Then she saw Ruan Shi coming in with a basket of needles and thread, smiling and saying, "I see that the hem of your clothes is torn. Let me help you mend it."

Shu Yu was taken aback and looked down at her dress.

Indeed, the hem of her skirt was torn. It had been accidentally hooked by a wooden thorn when she was blocking for Ruan Shi during their confrontation today.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 39: Third Uncle is Reasonable

After thinking for a moment, Lu Sanzhu agreed to the invitation.

Although he was attracted by the large bowl of egg and meat noodles, another reason was that he wanted to build a good relationship with Shu Yu. His cheap niece looked like a wealthy person.

Now it was just one bowl of meat noodles, but in the future, there would be countless bowls of meat noodles, right?

"Okay, since you are my niece, I'll help you out. Can I go in now and eat the noodles?" Lu Sanzhu asked.

"Sure," Shu Yu nodded.

Without hesitation, Lu Sanzhu immediately ran into the kitchen. Although Ruan Shi and her family had already served the noodles, they were all worried that Shu Yu would suffer from Lu Sanzhu's hands. They anxiously watched the kitchen door.

As soon as Lu Sanzhu walked in, he wanted to reach for the larger bowl, but he heard a cough from behind.

He turned his hand and put it down on the larger bowl.

"Sister-in-law, I'll take this bowl of noodles. You can eat slowly. But the portion is quite big. If you can't finish it, just call me. After all, it's not good to keep the noodles till tomorrow in this hot weather," Lu Sanzhu said.

Ruan Shi laughed dryly and watched as Lu Sanzhu walked away with the bowl of noodles.

Once he left, Ruan Shi pulled Shu Yu over and asked her in a low voice, "Did your uncle trouble you?"

"No, he is actually quite reasonable," Shu Yu replied.

Ruan Shi was surprised. Reasonable? Was Shu Yu talking about Lu Sanzhu?

Ruan Shi wanted to ask what they talked about, but she was afraid of being too nosy and making Shu Yu unhappy. In the end, she didn't ask anything.

Shu Yu urged them to eat the noodles quickly. When she saw that there was more meat than noodles in the bowls of her three younger siblings, she picked up two more chopsticks and gave them more meat. "Eat quickly. We have to finish this bowl of noodles tonight. Don't save any for later."

Her three siblings happily buried their heads in the noodles and started eating. When they lifted their heads, their eyes were squinted. "Sister's noodles are so delicious."

"If it's delicious, eat more," Shu Yu said.

Shu Yu smiled. When she was making the noodles earlier, she had already noticed that the Lu family was really short of food. Moreover, when she came back, she asked Da Niu and found out that in this area, people generally only eat two meals a day.

Today, it was only because she was here that the old lady had allowed Ruan Shi to make breakfast for her. So apart from that breakfast, Ruan Shi and the twins probably haven't eaten anything else.

No wonder San Ya and Da Hu were malnourished. They were originally eating porridge with pickles, and they only had two meals a day. It was strange if they could grow well.

Thinking of this, Shu Yu picked up two chopsticks and picked up some egg and meat for the twins.

At this time, Lu Sanzhu had also returned home with his bowl. Liang Shi and Da Bao, who had been waiting in the house, immediately greeted him. When they saw the big bowl of meat and noodles, their eyes lit up.

Liang Shi quickly took out a few bowls to divide the noodles and exclaimed, "I knew that Second Sister-in-law would definitely cook something delicious. Sure enough, she cooked meat. Look at this oily and juicy meat. Second Sister-in-law must be overjoyed to see her daughter, and she was willing to use so much oil."

As she spoke, she had already divided the noodles into three bowls and called her son, "Quickly sit down and eat. This noodle smells really good. When we got married, we never had noodles with so much oil."

Da Bao had already thrown himself onto the table, burying his chubby little face in the bowl, "It's delicious, too delicious. Mom, I want to eat this tomorrow too. This is not enough. You can go and ask San Ya and Da Hu for more later." 

(The end of this chapter)

Chapter 38: You're Stingy

Lu Sanzhu was surprised, then smiled and waved his hand. "No need to ask, I already know."

"You know?" Shu Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, this is something you caused," Lu Sanzhu nodded. "Yesterday, when you entered the village, many people saw you. You even gave candy to the children at the village entrance and brought meat and snacks to my second brother's house. At that time, everyone said that a noble person had come to find my second brother, and that my second brother's family would have a better life in the future. Later, my mother went to borrow a cart from the village chief and said that Yan Langzhong was not there, and she wanted to take my second brother to the county town to see his leg."

Lu Sanzhu spoke with enthusiasm, "You don't know the situation at my second brother's house. Even if we want to see a doctor in the town, we have to consider it again and again. Without money, how can we afford to see a doctor? Besides, it's just a fall. The people in the countryside would just bear with it and apply some herbal medicine. But my second brother actually wanted to go to the county town? Someone has to pay for the medical fees, and my mother didn't go to borrow money. So, people naturally thought of you, right?"

"Also, that Yan Langzhong wasn't there yesterday, but he came back to the village early this morning. I heard that he was angry about this and said that my mother didn't trust him and would rather run so far away than use the ointment he gave. He spread the word everywhere, and it just so happened that someone from Ruan's family came here to seek medical treatment from Yan Langzhong. Yan Langzhong told him about it, and the person went back and spread the news. Ruan's family naturally knew that a wealthy young lady had come to my second brother's house, bought meat, and paid for medical treatment. So, of course, they came over to make friends with my second sister-in-law."

With Ruan's family's money-grubbing nature, it would be strange if they didn't come over quickly.

Lu Sanzhu finished speaking, "That's how it is. Alright, I'm going to eat noodles now."

He took a step out, but Shu Yu pulled him back. "Wait."

"What else?" Lu Sanzhu was getting impatient. If he waited any longer, his noodles would be eaten by his sister-in-law and the others.

"This is not right," Shu Yu said.

"What's not right?" Lu Sanzhu was anxious.

"What's wrong?" Lu Sanzhu was very anxious. If they waited any longer, Second Sister-in-law and the others would have eaten all the noodles.

Shu Yu stood in front of him and said, "You're talking about what happened from last night until this morning, right? But didn't you also hear what the beggar said? That Ruan Pozi approached her a few days ago and asked her to impersonate Er Ya. At that time, I hadn't arrived yet, and the Lu family was still poor. So what was old lady Ruan trying to do?"

At first, she thought old lady Ruan was after her, but after listening to what the female beggar said, Shu Yu felt that things were not so simple.

Lu Sanzhu said, "Oh, right. Why didn't I think of that? So, what do you think Ruan Pozi is doing all this for?"

"Isn't this what you need to go and find out?" Shu Yu replied.

Lu Sanzhu said, "......"

Shu Yu patted his shoulder and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

"Eh, no, this sounds like a complicated matter. Wasn't a bowl of noodles and two candies too little for me?" Lu Sanzhu asked.

Shu Yu thought for a moment and said, "You did get shortchanged. How about I give you two more candies?"

Two candies? he could hardly believe she said that.

Shu Yu continued, "Don't think I'm stingy. If I knew more about Shishi village, I would have gone to someone else. Even if I only gave them two steamed buns, I would still be able to get the information. Do you believe me?"

Of course, he believed her.

But she was still stingy. 

(End of chapter)

Chapter 37: Asking Lu Sanzhu for Help

In the end, Da Hu ran to open the door with a face full of suspicion. Luckily, there was only Lu Sanzhu standing outside, and Third aunt and the annoying Da Bao were not there.

Lu Sanzhu rarely smiled brightly at Da Hu, casually patting his head before bypassing him and heading straight to the kitchen.

"Oh, I could smell the fragrance from afar."

The shredded meat and egg noodles on the table were very eye-catching, and Lu Sanzhu spotted them immediately. His eyes lit up, especially when he saw the greasy soup in the basin, making his mouth water.

Lu Sanzhu quickly sat down on a stool and smiled at everyone. "No wonder it smells so good. So, Sister-in-law made meat today. These noodles look delicious, and just the smell alone is even more enticing than what the master chefs in the county town can cook. It's different when Er Ya is back; life in Second Brother's family has improved."

While speaking, he had already picked up the chopsticks from the table, ready to dig in. "I'm hungry, let me try."

"Eh..." Ruan Shi tried to stop him.

But Shu Yu had already pressed down Lu Sanzhu's chopsticks directly. "Wait a minute."

Lu Sanzhu was momentarily startled, then raised his head and met Shu Yu's smiling gaze. Remembering her swift and clean attack earlier, he wisely put down his chopsticks and smiled at her ingratiatingly. "Er Ya, I'm your Third Uncle after all. Look, today, your Third Aunt and I helped expose that fake, so let me have a taste of the noodles to share in the joy. Isn't that reasonable?"

Shu Yu nodded. "It's reasonable."

Lu Sanzhu's eyes lit up. "Er Ya is so generous." After speaking, he reached for the chopsticks again.

"But I have something I want to ask for your help with. If you agree, I'll let you take the whole bowl of noodles back."

Lu Sanzhu was taken aback. Help? Him?

"Hey..." he chuckled dryly. "That's where you're wrong. As your Third Uncle, eating from your bowl, why should there be conditions? As a younger generation, it's only right to be filial to the elders."

"You're right, my mistake. As my Third Uncle, helping your niece shouldn't come with a trade-off. So even if you don't eat this bowl of noodles, you should still help me. That's how the elders take care of the younger ones."

Lu Sanzhu sighed. "Fine, what do you want me to help with? But let's make it clear first, I don't have any special abilities, so I might not be able to help you."

Shu Yu calmly glanced at Ruan Shi and then pointed outside. "Let's talk outside."

"Still being so secretive." Lu Sanzhu curled his lips and reluctantly stood up, walking out of the kitchen.

Shu Yu told Ruan Shi, "You and San Ya and Da Hu go ahead and eat the noodles. It won't taste good if it gets cold."

Ruan Shi opened her mouth, worriedly watching the two of them walk into the courtyard one after the other.

Lu Sanzhu was anxious about the bowl of noodles, "Alright, tell me quickly, what do you want me to help with?"

"I want you to find out why the Ruan family found a fake to impersonate Er Ya."

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 36: Delicious Stomping Feet

Shu Yu was skilled in cooking, as in her past life, she had put a lot of effort into her culinary skills to get close to her enemies.

San Ya immediately raised her hand and said, "I'll cook, I'm very good at cooking."

Da Hu was not to be outdone. "I'm even better."

"Nonsense, I cook it better."

As Ruan Shi watched the three siblings interacting intimately, she couldn't help but feel both sour and happy. She wiped her eyes and approached them, saying, "You all rest, I'll do it."

Shu Yu would absolutely not let Ruan Shi cook the noodles, otherwise, there would be no oil in the dish. She didn't like heavy oil and salt, but just two drops of oil per dish, which she refused.

Shu Yu pushed Ruan Shi out and took out the dishes and bowls she had bought in the county town to have her help wash them.

Ruan couldn't refuse as Er Ya was filial, and she didn't want Er Ya to misunderstand that she wasn't treating her like her own daughter.

However, when Ruan Shi came back in after washing the dishes, she saw Shu Yu preparing to stir-fry the meat, pouring a thick layer of oil that almost made Ruan exclaim in shock.

She wanted to say that so much oil was too wasteful, but she opened her mouth and quickly closed it, then endured the pain in her heart as she placed the dishes and bowls one by one in the cupboard, but her eyes kept glancing at the stove.

Shu Yu put the sliced meat in the pan, and the sound of sizzling came to her ears, followed by the aroma that filled the air.

San Ya and Da Hu stood next to the stove, puffing their chests and taking deep breaths, their eyes narrowing in ecstasy.

"So fragrant, too fragrant."

Ruan Shi thought, of course, it's fragrant, with so much oil.

The meat was sliced thinly and cooked quickly.

Shu Yu used chopsticks to pick up two pieces and gave them to the two little ones, and as soon as they tasted it, they raised their heads in surprise. "It's so delicious!"

It was the most delicious meat they had ever eaten in their lives.

San Ya was even more delighted and stomped her feet, while Da Hu... he ran outside and circled the yard.

Ruan Shi couldn't help but smile, her eyes curving. Since Er Ya went missing, she hadn't laughed much.

The noodles were cooked quickly. Shu Yu took a basin and placed the cooked noodles on the table.

At first, Ruan Shi was standing far away and didn't notice the amount of noodles. But now, she realized that there were too many noodles.

Her mother-in-law and husband were not home, and the few of them could not possibly eat so much. But if they left it until tomorrow, the noodles would be ruined.

She looked at Shu Yu, but ultimately didn't say anything, and asked the two children to wash their hands.

Unexpectedly, Da Hu ran in halfway through washing his hands and said, "Mom, Second Sister, Third Uncle is knocking at the door outside."

As soon as Ruan Shi heard this, she inwardly exclaimed, "Oh no, he must have smelled the fragrance and come over."

Her mother-in-law was not at home, and she was no match for her younger brothers and sisters. She couldn't guarantee that the noodles would be safe.

Da Hu quickly said, "I'll take the basin of noodles and hide it in the room."

San Ya shook her head and said, "No, Mom said that Third Uncle has a nose like a dog."

The three of them were in a hurry. Usually, there was nothing good to eat at home, and with the old lady watching over them, they couldn't get away with anything.

Shu Yu, on the other hand, was very calm. She even took out a big bowl and picked out a portion of the noodles.

Then she said to Da Hu. "Go and open the door and let them in."

"What?" Da Hu was taken aback and hurriedly explained, "Second Sister, you don't know Third Uncle's temperament. He will..."

"I know," Shu Yu smiled and said, "I deliberately made more noodles because I knew he would come."

The three of them were stunned. What did Second Sister mean? 

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 35: Egg and Shredded Pork Noodles

At first, Ruan Shi thought it was Lu Sanzhu and his wife, but then she heard the voice of Da Niu outside, "Er Shu, it's me, Da Niu."

Da Hu quickly turned around and ran over to open the gate.

Da Niu came in with a smile on his face and carrying the rice, noodles, and oil that Shu Yu had bought.

Shu Yu and Ruan Shi also came over. Da Niu looked at Shu Yu with shining eyes and said, "You, you're really Er Ya?"

"Yes, it's me."

Da Niu smiled and said, "Good, it's good that you're back."

When he drove the cart to the village with Shu Yu, she ran back first. Da Niu originally followed her, but he had to drive the cart, and the village road was narrow, so he walked slower.

Halfway there, he happened to meet Lu Dasong coming back from the fields, who told him not to go because old lady Ruan was not easy to get along with, and Da Niu was an honest and junior person who would only suffer if he faced her.

He should just go see for himself.

So Lu Dasong let Da Niu return the cart to the village head's house first, and then go to his own home to call his wife. Some things were better solved between women.

When Da Niu returned the cart and called his mother to come help, she was not happy and said she didn't want to get involved with Ruan Shi's affairs. She even wanted to take away the rice, noodles, and oil he was carrying.

Just as Da Niu was arguing with his mother, Lu Dasong came back.

That's when Da Niu heard about Shu Yu's identity and hurriedly took the things to his Second Uncle's house.

He said to Ruan Shi, "These are all bought by Shu...Er Ya. She heard that you had trouble here and ran back, but didn't have time to take them. I'm here to bring them to you."

Ruan Shi looked at the things in Da Niu's hand with surprise and asked, "Er Ya, how did you buy these?"

Shu Yu just smiled and said to Da Niu, "Thank you, but it's getting late. Stay and have dinner with us."

"No, thanks. I have food at home, I'll go back first," Da Niu said, waving his hand before leaving.

After the gate closed, only Shu Yu and a few others remained in the courtyard.

Ruan Shi looked at the rice and noodles on the ground and couldn't say anything for a while.

Shu Yu gave the oil to San Ya and put the meat in Da Hu's hand, while she picked up the rice, noodles, and dishes. "Let's go, help me take these to the kitchen."

San Ya and Da Hu glanced at each other, then hurriedly followed Shu Yu as she walked to the kitchen.

Ruan Shi was stunned for a moment, then quickly caught up with them.

"Er Ya, why did you buy so much food? You just came back, we should take care of you, why did you spend money instead?"

Shu Yu put the rice and noodles on the table, turned her head to face Ruan's anxious expression and said in a slightly low tone, "If you keep saying this, being so polite to me, it's like treating me as an outsider."

"No, no, how could I treat you as an outsider? You are my Er Ya. Mom won't be so polite to you anymore," Ruan quickly explained.

Shu Yu waved to Da Hu and San Ya, "Okay, then let's make noodles tonight. We'll make egg and meat noodles. Do we have eggs at home?"

Egg and meat noodles?

Da Hu and San Ya swallowed their saliva and looked at Shu Yu with bright eyes.

Shu Yu asked them to help bring a basin and said, "Today, I'll show you my skills, but you have to help me light the fire."

(End of chapter)

 Chapter 34: Lu Sanzhu Thoughts

Lu Dasong did not go to see the villagers. He let go of Lu Sanzhu and warned him, "Your younger sister and her siblings just reunited. Don't disturb them. Go back to your house."

He still had work to do in the fields, so he didn't stay long. After giving Lu Sanzhu a glare, he left.

However, this time he walked much more briskly. After all, it was a joyous occasion for Er Ya to be found, and Lu Dasong was happy about it.

As soon as Lu Dasong's figure was out of sight, Lu Sanzhu snorted and spat at his back. "Big brother is so sneaky. He didn't have to stop me from making a fortune if he just wanted to leave."

Liang Shi blinked at him. "Don't worry. At least we helped Er Ya a little just now by standing on her side and exposing old lady Ruan scheme. Er Ya should remember this favor, right?"

"Of course she should remember. If she doesn't, I'll remind her." Lu Sanzhu snorted twice and looked at Lu Erbai's house. He waved his hand. "Forget it. Let's go home first. They need some time to catch up. Later, we can visit them and show our faces in front of Er Ya. It's lucky that the real Er Ya is Miss Shu, who seems to be a wealthy woman. It's also reasonable for us to help her uncle and aunt who are poor and have helped her before."

Liang Shi nodded. The couple thought of good things in their hearts and entered their home with a giggle.

Meanwhile, Shu Yu, who they were concerned about, was being pulled into the house by Ruan Shi.

As soon as she entered the house, Ruan Shi couldn't help but cry. She tightly grabbed Shu Yu's hand and asked, "Er Ya, have you been well these past few years? Did the people who bought you treat you badly? How did you find your way here? And your foster parents? What about them..."

She asked quickly and urgently, and Shu Yu didn't interrupt. She waited until Ruan Shi finished before saying, "I'm doing well. Look at me. Do I look like I've been through a lot? The family that bought me originally wanted a son. When they saw that I was a girl, they just gave me away. My foster parents treated me well. I was their only daughter. They passed away a few years ago due to an accident and only then did they tell me about my identity and ask me to come find my biological family."

Shu Yu couldn't tell them about the Shu family's situation, so she made up a story. "I just found out about your whereabouts a few days ago and came to see you. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you at first. I wasn't sure if you would welcome me..."

"Welcome, of course, welcome."

"Mm, I know,"

After hearing that Shu Yu was doing well, Ruan Shi finally breathed a sigh of relief and patted her hand. "Thanks to you for taking care of your foster parents. After we settle down, I'll go with you to visit them."

Shu Yu replied hesitantly, "Okay, we can go see them."

She could only vaguely nod her head and avoid Ruan Shi's gaze.

Then, she saw San Ya and Da Hu, who had been staring at her intently on the side.

When she saw their identical expressions, Shu Yu couldn't help but feel happy and waved to them, "What's wrong? I'm your second sister. Are you unhappy?"

San Ya whispered, "No, I'm so happy. It's like, like I'm dreaming." She cautiously approached and gently touched Shu Yu's hand with her small hand.

Da Hu also vigorously nodded his head, afraid that Shu Yu might misunderstand and leave.

Ruan Shi looked on with satisfaction and joy at the interaction between the siblings. Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the courtyard.

(End of this chapter)

Translator note:

So sorry for the confusion 

Lu Laosan is Lu Sanzhu a I am too lazy to review previous chapters to correct it🤭

He is the third brother of the family and the husband of Liang Shi 

 Chapter 33: My Name is Lu Shu Yu 

As Lu Dasong spoke, he looked at Ruan Shi with a serious expression. "Little Sister, are you sure? Is she really Er Ya?"

"I'm sure, very sure. It's her," Ruan Shi hastily nodded, holding onto Shu Yu tightly. Her eyes were full of caution as she looked at Lu Dasong, afraid that he would say something that would make Shu Yu leave.

Lu Dasong had originally wanted to say something else, but seeing the situation, he suddenly choked and could only dryly say, "That's good. It's good that you found her. After so many years, we can finally reunite as a family. Well...we'll go first. You've just reunited, there must be a lot to talk about. When Mom and Second Brother come back, we can all recognize each other as a family."

Of course, he hoped that the girl in front of him was Er Ya. Over the years, he had witnessed how Second Brother's life had changed from one of relative affluence to its current state.

Second Brother had always been willing to work. When he was younger, he was even taken in as an apprentice because of his steadiness. After he got married, he earned the most money among the three brothers. Little Sister was also hardworking, and before Er Ya was stolen, Second Brother's family was the best among the three brothers.

At that time, their relationship as brothers was good. However, Second Brother insisted on finding Er Ya, and one or two years passed, which was understandable. But he kept looking for her for more than ten years. Which family could endure such torment? Before long, Second Brother's family became more and more destitute, and they had to borrow money from everywhere.

Lu Dasong had his own family too. His wife was unhappy after lending money once. At that time, Mom was also following Second Brother. Eventually, the old lady always used her own share of the rations to help Second Brother, and his wife had several arguments with Mom. In the end, Mom just followed Second Brother.

Naturally, the three brothers grew apart from each other, and even their contact became less frequent.

Thinking of this, Lu Dasong couldn't help but sigh. He looked at Shu Yu and said, "Er..." But when he looked at her face, he couldn't bring himself to call her Er Ya.

"Just call me Shu Yu, Lu Shu Yu," Shu Yu was her name before she crossed over. In the Shu family, she was called 'Shu Yu', which although sounded the same, was a different character.

Ruan Shi's face was full of joy when she heard what Shu Yu said. Er Ya had just said that she was surnamed Lu.

Lu Dasong couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and smiled, "Okay, Shu Yu. You can chat with Sister-in-law now. They've never given up looking for you all these years. We'll go first."

After speaking, Lu Dasong called on Lu Sanzhu and his wife to leave.

Lu Sanzhu was unhappy and said, "Big brother, I'll stay here and get to know my niece better."

Lu Dasong frowned and said, "What kind of getting to know each other? Don't think I don't know your little schemes. Come with me."

"No, big brother, I'm sincere," Lu Sanzhu said.

Lu Dasong didn't listen to him at all, grabbed his collar and dragged him out.

Lu Sanzhu usually liked to play tricks and avoid work, but he couldn't compare to Lu Dasong who did heavy work in the fields all year round. He struggled a few times but couldn't break free and could only be dragged out of the courtyard gate.

Liang Shi looked at Shu Yu and the others, then at her husband being taken away. She stomped her foot fiercely and said, "Let's go back for now, and come back another day to see our niece."

The three of them left Lu Erbai's house one after another.

There were still many villagers lingering outside the courtyard, constantly peering over to this side, curious about the fact that the Lu family had found their daughter who had been missing for more than ten years.

Especially Shu Yu didn't look like she was down on her luck at all, and they all thought that Lu Erbai had finally turned the corner and was going to prosper.

When they saw Lu Dasong coming out, they pretended not to know anything and looked up at the sky, down at the ground, or at the corners of the walls.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 32: Escaped

In just a moment, the girl saw that the villagers were all staring at her with intense gazes, as if she was really going to do something unfavorable to Shu Yu.

The girl was instantly frightened and without hesitation, she completely betrayed old lady Ruan, "It wasn't me, I'm not a fraud, I don't know anything. It was all her, she asked me to impersonate Er Ya from the Lu family."

She pointed at old lady Ruan and quickly clarified herself, "I'm just a beggar. A few days ago, she met me and saw two moles on my arm. She then asked me to pretend to be the second young lady of the Lu family. She said that if I went to the Lu family, I could have a place to live and food to eat. But when I got there, I found that the Lu family was also very poor. Nevertheless, I had a status and a place to stay, at least I wouldn't have to sleep on the streets. It was all her plan."

"Really?" Shu Yu expressed doubt.

The girl quickly nodded, "Of course it's true. Otherwise, how would I know that Er Ya had moles on her arm? It was all she told me."

Shu Yu looked at old lady Ruan, "Do you have anything else to say now? Why did you ask a beggar to impersonate Er Ya?"

"What could be my purpose? The Lu family has nothing. Could I still steal some money from them? Isn't it just to fulfill my daughter's longing for Er Ya? I did it for the sake of the Lu family." old lady Ruan spoke as she backed away, and when she was far enough, she turned and ran straight out of the courtyard gate.

Liang Shi let out a sound of disdain, "This old hag. I'll go chase after her."

"Third sister, don't bother. Just let her be." Lu Dasong spoke up and blocked her. What could they do if they caught up with old lady Ruan? After all, she was the mother of their second sister, and her plot had failed. Could they still beat her up?

Liang Shi cast a reluctant glance at Lu San, and the girl who impersonated Er Ya saw old lady Ruan escape and knew that if she didn't leave now, she would have to bear all the blame.

Without another word, she pushed her way through the crowd and ran away.

Liang Shi wanted to catch her but didn't manage to. She stomped her feet in anger, "She sure can run fast."

Shu Yu didn't catch her either. Ruan Shi hugged her tightly, as if she would disappear again if Shu Yu didn't hold on a little tighter.

Shu Yu tried to struggle twice but couldn't break free, so she gave up.

Right now, the two troublemakers have left, but Ruan Shi still hasn't let go. Even San Ya and Da Hu are quietly moving closer to her, looking at her with a curious and joyful expression.

Before, they just thought she was a beautiful and gentle sister who was like a fairy, and they still felt a little distance from her. But now, this fairy sister has become their second sister.

The two children couldn't express their happiness, and they also wanted to hug their second sister like their mother.

San Ya even secretly reached out her little hand, wanting to hold her hand, but when she touched it, she quickly withdrew it.

Shu Yu smiled and looked at the soft little girl. She didn't even want to bother with Ruan Shi.

She reached out and held San Ya's little hand. The little girl suddenly looked up and looked at her with surprise.

Shu Yu blinked at her, and San Ya's face turned red instantly. She shyly lowered her head.

When Shu Yu raised her head again, she saw that Lu Dasong had already started evacuating the onlookers.

When everyone had left, Lu Dasong closed the courtyard door.

For a while, only the Lu family members were left in the courtyard.

Liang Shi wanted to speak, but Lu Dasong came over first.

He looked at Shu Yu and carefully scrutinized her for a long time before finally nodding. "She does look a bit like Da Ya."

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 31: Liang Shi's Scheming

Shu Yu and Ruan Shi turned their heads at the same time and saw that Lu Laosan and his wife Liang Shi had somehow sneaked into the yard.

Without saying a word, Liang Shi took advantage of Ruan Shi and the girl's inattention and grabbed the girl by the back of her neck.

Unfortunately, the girl either really was unkempt or was intentionally making herself look pitiful. Her neck was black with dirt, as she hadn't bathed for several days.

Liang Shi spat a mouthful of saliva on the girl's neck, then vigorously rubbed it a few times, removing a layer of mud. Satisfied with her work, she laughed and said, "I took a look and there's no birthmark on this girl's neck. She's a fake."

Shu Yu was shocked by this move. She had only seen Liang Shi twice before, but each time Liang Shi had surprised her with her unexpected actions.

Old lady Ruan finally reacted and rushed over to hit Liang. "What are you doing? Spitting on someone's neck? Do you have a serious illness?"

Liang Shi was not someone to be trifled with. She pushed Ruan Shi away and said, "What am I doing? I'm helping Second Sister-in-law prove whether this girl is Second Miss or not. Miss Shu openly and straightforwardly showed us her neck. You guys are hiding something, aren't you afraid of being guilty?"

Lu Laosan also chimed in, "That's right, that's right. You came knocking on our door when my mother and second brother weren't home, thinking that no one was here and you could deceive us."

As he spoke, Lu Laosan and his wife stood beside Ruan Shi and Shu Yu, looking as though they would kill old lady Ruan if she dared to say another word.

Shu Yu looked at the two of them suspiciously. What were they trying to do? She hadn't seen them act so righteous before. Weren't they just squatting at the gate to watch the excitement a little while ago?

But she didn't have time to think about it now. She walked towards old lady Ruan and the girl step by step and asked, "Now you can tell us what you're trying to do by bringing this fake here?"

Old lady Ruan couldn't help but take a step back. "I, I..."

She looked at Ruan Shi and Shuyu, the Lao San couple, and Lu Dasong who were standing in the courtyard, and her heart sank.

Old lady Ruan regretted not bringing her son over. At the time, she thought that since the old lady of the Lu family was not there and Lao Er of the Lu family had gone to the county, the two of them coming over would be enough. It would also be a good opportunity to show weakness and soften her daughter's heart.

Who knew that a Miss Shu would suddenly appear, and this Miss Shu was actually the real Er Ya.

Old lady Ruan was furious, but looking at the Lu family's eager eyes, she suddenly closed her eyes, her legs went weak and she sat down on the ground, then slapped her thighs and cried, "Oh, I'm really unlucky. I had good intentions but was taken for a fool. How could I have known that this girl was a fake? I'm the one who was deceived. Oh, woe is me!"

Shu Yu looked at her and smiled, then turned to the girl and asked, "She says she was deceived by you, so you're the one who cheated her? Where did you come from? What do you want to do? Are you trying to deceive the Lu family by pretending to be Lu Er Ya? If so, what's next? The Lu family is living a difficult life, and there's nothing worth deceiving here. Could it be that you want to stay in Shishi Village and do something to the villagers under the guise of being Lu Er Ya? Tell me, do you have any accomplices? Where are they, and what's your plan?"

The girl was stunned. She didn't want to do anything, where would she find any accomplices?

 (End of this chapter.)