Chapter 605: A Kiss on the Verge, Unrelated to Love and Desire

Regarding Qin Ruan's suspicion, Hou Yunjiao firmly shook his head in denial, "Others might, but not Xiao Wenrou."

Qin Ruan's expression became subtle, and she slightly raised her eyebrows, "Are you so sure?"

Huo Yunqiao narrowed his eyes, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "Xiao Wenrou was once in the same squad as me. I happened to be there when she challenged me, thinking I was weak and delicate after spending some time at the base."

At that time, Hou Yunjiao did not hold back and defeated her, leaving her lying on the ground for quite some time. Since then, whenever there were outsiders present, Xiao Wenrou behaved like a meek and devoted admirer of Hou Yunjiao

Qin Ruan's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at him, "You hit a woman?!"

Hou Yunjiao didn't deny it, "Her skills were no match for mine. She could only bear it. There were several other family members' children in the base, and they all had fought with Xiao Wenrou. During that time, Xiao Wenrou didn't have it easy. She was trained by various noble family members, and I remember telling you before that Xiao Wenrou was good at taking a beating."

Qin Ruan's lips twitched.

She did recall him mentioning that before.

However, she couldn't imagine the scene of Xiao Wenrou being beaten by him.

The man before her was sitting upright, emanating an elegant and gentle aura, with a warm and amiable expression, exuding the grace of a nobleman. This image of Hou Yunjiao made it hard for her to visualize him using violence.

Noticing Qin Ruan's suspicious gaze, Hou Yunjiao raised his hand and touched her chin, asking in a gentle tone, "What are you thinking?"

Her expression reminded him of how Xiao Wenrou had doubted his skills before. He was not weak and feeble; he had some strength, even if he was ill.

Qin Ruan relaxed her body, naturally leaning her head on his shoulder. If she couldn't do anything, at least she could get closer.

Huo Yunqiao had the ability to unintentionally charm others. He kissed her on the lips in a casual and fleeting manner. A kiss devoid of emotions and desires.

Huo Yunqiao pulled back, his eyes filled with tender amusement as he said, "If there's trouble in the future, don't suspect the Xiaos. They won't do anything out of line. After all, they need to protect themselves, and they won't dare to cross any boundaries."

He then continued, "The Gu Family and the Fu Family have some connections. The Long Family and the Huo Family are in-laws, and there are no major entanglements between these two families. The Lu Family is currently siding with the Huo Family, though we can't be sure of their future intentions. As for the remaining six major families – Su, Gongsun, Xiao, Rong, and Ling – you have already interacted with four families' members. Only the Gongsun and Fu families remain, and you may have opportunities to do so in the future."

Qin Ruan listened to Huo Yunqiao's words, but her attention was still drawn to the fruit platter on the table.

The place where he had just kissed was still warm and sensitive.

Huo Yunqiao had a lazy expression, exuding a deep and mysterious aura, replacing his usual refined and aristocratic demeanor.

Qin Ruan gazed at him, and her heart trembled at his overwhelming charm. His gentle words echoed in her ears like an enchanting spell.

Huo Yunqiao gently stroked Qin Ruan's forehead, speaking in a soothing voice, "You are my wife and the mother of our two children. You need to plan for the future for their sake."

He sighed softly, with a persuasive tone, "Ruan Ruan, you are smart, and I'm sure you won't be at a disadvantage."

"I don't understand all these intrigues, are you not afraid that I'll be taken advantage of?" Qin Ruan asked with a smile that held a hint of bitterness.

Seeming somewhat surprised by her response, Huo Yunqiao smiled and reached for her hand, clasping it tightly.

In an instant, he exuded a sharp aura, full of danger.

The refined and elegant demeanor of the Third Young Master was replaced by a mysterious and compelling presence.

Huo Yunqiao made a pledge to her in a mesmerizing voice, "I won't let anyone harm you. I'll be with you every step of the way."

His tender words echoed in Qin Ruan's ears, causing her fingertips to tremble.

Huo Yunqiao's words were so convincing that she didn't need to think too much about them.

Qin Ruan smiled brilliantly, "Alright, just don't let go of my hand!"

She held his large hand tightly with hers, as if they were two deeply in love individuals, not allowing anyone to separate them.

"Alright," Huo Yunqiao reassured her.

...

Time flew by.

Qin Ruan spent a week at the Xiangxie Manor.

During these few days, she shuttled between the Shengshi Academy, Xiangxie Manor, and Tongsha Heaven Bridge, almost becoming a workaholic.

Although busy, she achieved some results.

She collected some malevolent energy at the Tongsha Heaven Bridge, not much, but better than nothing.

Chapter 604: Is Ruan Ruan Satisfied with Being with Me?

You should know that apart from the old master, no one at home treats Huo Yunmiao with such care and caution.

Qin Ruan's way of caring makes him feel like a useless person.

Whether it's his father, second uncle, or cousins, they only show slight concern when he's seriously ill, treating it as minor discomfort.

Qin Ruan's excessive worries have seriously overlooked a man's self-esteem.

Knowing that she didn't mean it, Hou Yunjiao didn't take it to heart.

But a small voice in his heart told him that one day this girl would regret what she had done today.

The two of them walked hand in hand to the resting area in the hall.

The servants brought some fruits after the meal and placed them in front of Qin Ruan.

Hou Yunjiao sat beside her, gently caressing her bulging belly, feeling the activity of the two children inside.

His voice was slightly deep as he responded to Qin Ruan's previous question, "The Six Great Families will not be reduced. When the Nangong Family is destroyed, there will be new families to take their place."

"Is that so?" Qin Ruan felt confused.

In her past and present lives, she had never stepped into the circle of power, so she knew nothing about it.

Seeing Qin Ruan's interest, Hou Yunjiao slowly explained in her ear, "The Fu Family from the south will come to the capital soon, and they will become one of the Six Great Families in the capital."

Qin Ruan knew about the Fu Family from the south.

It was one of the most powerful and influential families in the south, like local overlords.

The Fu Family was also a dominant force in the entire southern region.

Qin Ruan blinked her eyes, feeling a bit dazed.

In the south, the Fu Family was used to holding a high position. Would they be willing to be subservient to others if they came to the capital?

Qin Ruan had long and slightly curled eyelashes.

Her blinking caught Hou Yunjiao's eyes, and he had a momentary impulse to reach out and touch her long eyelashes.

Hou Yunjiao casually moved his gaze away, restraining his hands, and continued, "Grandfather intends to arrange a marriage between Second Brother and Miss Fu."

The sudden news left Qin Ruan stunned.

Her face was hard to describe, and she asked in a low voice, "Second Brother and Miss Fu have never met, right?"

Hou Yunjiao nodded, "The Hou Family and the Fu Family have had no contact."

In other words, they had never met.

Qin Ruan couldn't help but feel sorry for Hou Yerong. "Isn't this an arranged marriage?"

Hearing her empathizing, Third Brother chuckled, "Nothing has been settled yet. After the Fu Family arrives in the capital, Second Brother and Miss Fu will meet before deciding whether to get engaged."

"That's good then. Love needs to be cultivated together. A loveless marriage always ends up unsatisfactory." Qin Ruan tried to put herself in Hou Yirong's shoes.

A glint of profound meaning flashed in Huo Yunmiao's eyes as he listened to her words.

"So, is it satisfying for Ruan Ruan to be with me?"

"...?" Qin Ruan opened her mouth, not knowing how to answer.

Looking at Hou Yunjiao's smiling eyes and his gentle and doting expression as always, she smiled and said, "I'm different from Second Brother."

She reached out and placed her hand on the one Hou Yunjiao had on her belly, speaking softly, "We have children together."

This answer did not satisfy Hou Yunjiao.

The corners of his lips drooped slightly, and the tenderness in his eyes turned calm.

Qin Ruan meant that if they didn't have children, they wouldn't be in the current marriage.

with Hou Yunjiao's reaction, Qin Ruan was completely unaware.

She kept her hand on his, feeling the children in her belly moving actively.

They seemed to be swimming inside her belly, moving back and forth.

Hou Yunjiao also felt it.

His calm expression softened as he followed the movements of the children in her belly with his hand.

As the two enjoyed the warmth brought by the children, Hou Yunjiao revealed another piece of news.

"Ruan Ruan, Xiao Wenrou is engaged to the eldest son of the Fu Family. The engagement ceremony will be held on the second day after the Fu Family arrives in the capital. As I'm not feeling well, I'll trouble you to go for me."

Qin Ruan's lips twitched.

If her memory was correct, Xiao Wenrou had just married Nangong Chang not long ago.

Now, Nangong Chang had just died, and she was already engaged to someone from the Fu Family.

This news was indeed disillusioning, and her values were shaken.

Qin Ruan's eyes flashed with an inexplicable light, and she said, "Is the Xiao Family trying to form an alliance with the Fu Family?"

Besides an alliance, she couldn't think of any other purpose.

Filling Qin Ruan in on the situation, Huo Yunmiao said, "Xiao Wenrou's marriage to Nan Gongchang was to stabilize the Xiao Family's position among the major families in the capital. Now, with the engagement to the Fu Family, the purpose is the same. Of course, if the Fu Family behaves and the two families truly become relatives, that would be the best outcome. However, if the Fu Family is like the Nangong Family and wants something they shouldn't, the Xiao Family will also have to step on their heads to stabilize their position in the capital."

Qin Ruan furrowed her brows slightly, her expression complex. "Why would the Xiao Family do this? Do they want to climb to the top four families?"

Huo Yunmiao raised a reserved arc at the corner of his lips, the warmth in his eyes fading, but his voice was still gentle, "The Xiao Family is loyal to the Huo Family."

Qin Ruan didn't know what she was thinking, her expression changed slightly.

She narrowed her eyes and spoke straightforwardly, "Because Xiao Wenrou likes you?"

Hou Yunjiao lightly flicked Qin Ruan's forehead, not using much force.

He laughed, "What are you thinking? She doesn't like me."

Qin Ruan covered her forehead where she was flicked and moved back, evading the man's attempt to attack her again.

She pouted and complained, "Xiao Wenrou admitted it herself. She has liked you for many years. She even showed off in front of me last time."

She looked both pitiful and domineering, as if someone had taken away something that belonged to her.

Hou Yunjiao found this version of Qin Ruan quite cute.

He raised his lips, revealing a charming smile like a warm breeze, and asked softly, "Does Ruan Ruan like me?"

Qin Ruan thought for a moment and replied uncertainly, "I think so."

Hearing this, Hou Yunjiaol's smile widened, and he gently explained, "When you like someone, you won't publicize it like Xiao Wenrou. She's only using my name to create opportunities to avoid

getting deeply entangled with the person she's going to be engaged to. Xiao Wenrou is a very smart woman. She knows what she wants and understands that her family is on the verge of collapse at any time. To escape from that, she needs to pay a lot, such as this engagement. It gives her an excuse to get away from the person she'll be marrying and I become her protective umbrella."

At this point, Hou Yunjiao paused.

He rubbed his brow and told Qin Ruan about the past troublesome incidents, "I remember back then, shortly after Xiao Wenrou came of age, she was very afraid of me, but she still approached me. She even created various misunderstandings that made everyone believe she was deeply in love with me. During that well-known incident, she took the initiative to invite me to dance with her at a banquet. At that time, she was so scared that her legs were trembling, but she insisted on finishing the dance. Since then, under Xiao Wenrou's publicity, everyone in the capital believed that she was infatuated with me, and only a few knew it was all a play."

"Maybe it's true," Qin Ruan muttered.

Listening to Hou Yunjiao's description of Xiao Wenrou's attachment to him, she felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Xiao Wenrou's arrogant appearance from the past was still etched in her mind.

Her appearance of deep affection and unwavering loyalty towards Hou Yunjiao, Qin Ruan had not been able to see through the facade.

Chapter 134: The Big Shot is Calling

Bai Lu carried a vegetable basket to the market to buy groceries. Before leaving, she asked Xiao Wei if he wanted to come along. Lately, the little guy had been accompanying her to buy groceries and helping carry the basket.

Today, he unexpectedly declined.

Bai Lu, puzzled, looked towards the main house where voices were heard.

A small figure sat upright at the Eight Immortals table, doing homework. Opposite the table, there was a tall desk with a new white telephone. The small figure would write for a while, then glance at the white phone.

Afraid of missing something important.

When Bai Lu returned with the groceries, everything seemed unchanged.

After washing the vegetables, the small figure remained motionless, like a sculpture on the Eight Immortals table.

Was it too much homework, or was the phone too attractive, or perhaps longing for Xiao Cheng?

Maybe Xiao Cheng often stayed out before... Could there be an urgent matter he needed to discuss?

Bai Lu couldn't figure it out and went back to the kitchen to chop vegetables. Just as she finished, Xiao Wei walked in.

Without a word, he sat at the stove and started a fire.

In a second, he resumed his usual diligent appearance.

Bai Lu looked him up and down, asking softly, "Were you bullied at school?"

Xiao Wei shook his head, "No."

Thinking about it, everyone knew he was Xiao Cheng's brother; who would dare to provoke him?

"Then, is there something important you want to tell your brother?" Bai Lu asked curiously while cooking.

Xiao Wei looked serious, "There's a man in the house."

Bai Lu: "..."

She accidentally spilled the salt into the pot.

Well, let's all have salted fish for dinner!

"He's here to install the phone."

"He's a man."

"It's your brother who asked him to install the phone."

"So, I need to tell my big brother that the phone is installed." The little bald head spoke earnestly.

Bai Lu suspected he was reporting something.

As expected, her suspicion was confirmed in the evening.

"Ding Ling Ling—"

In the dark night, by the well in the front yard, Bai Lu was twisting the last piece of freshly washed clothes. The main house echoed with a crisp and pleasant ringtone, penetrating the night and striking the heart.

Finishing bathing and washing clothes, Xiao Wei, with his hair dried, rushed out urgently.

"Sister-in-law, did the phone ring?"

Bai Lu sighed, "Yes, it's so loud, couldn't you hear it?"

Xiao Wei touched his bald head and adjusted his clothes, his voice full of restrained excitement, "Is it my big brother calling back?"

"Yeah, only your brother knows the home phone number. If it's not him, who else could it be?"

Bai Lu carried the bucket of clothes to the corridor to hang them. "You should go answer the phone quickly. If your brother calls and no one answers, he might think no one is at home, assuming we're all busy. He might call back much later."

As soon as she finished speaking, the main house rang again.

"Ding Ling Ling—"

Bai Lu's words proved accurate.

Xiao Wei's whole body shook, whether from nervousness or excitement. He stood still, holding the handset stiffly, seemingly forgetting what to say.

"Quickly, go answer it," Bai Lu urged, pushing his shoulder.

The small figure rushed back to the main house.

The white phone handset was swiftly grabbed by a small hand and placed next to the bald little ear.

Silence.

Xiao Wei stood as if struck by lightning, frozen in place, his little face puzzled, nervous, and confused.

Had his big brother waited too long and become impatient?

Following the same steps, he returned to Bai Lu in the corridor, lowering his head with a guilty look. "The phone stopped ringing; big brother must be angry."

"It's not like that." Bai Lu comforted, patting his shoulder lightly. "Even phones need breaks. If the ring goes unanswered several times, it automatically stops. The person who needs to make a call has to redial for it to continue. It's not that the call was hung up, and it's not that your brother doesn't want to call anymore."

"Really?"

Xiao Wei looked up, and his eyes slowly regained brightness.

Bai Lu knew many things, and what she said was always correct.

Nodding in response to the small figure's hopeful gaze, Bai Lu said, "Really. Hurry back to the Eight Immortals table and wait. If your brother calls again and no one answers, he might think no one is home, assume we're all busy, and he might call back much later..."

As soon as she finished speaking, the main house rang again.

"Ding Ling Ling—"

Bai Lu's words were indeed fulfilled.

Xiao Wei's whole body trembled. Whether from extreme nervousness or excitement, he stood still, immobile.

Bai Lu gave him a nudge, "Go quickly."

The small figure dashed back to the main house.

The white phone handset was quickly grabbed by a small hand, placed next to the bald little ear.

Silence.

Xiao Wei's brain went blank. Holding the handset tightly, he stood upright in front of the tall desk, forgetting everything he wanted to say.

Until, from the other end of the phone, a man's deep and magnetic voice came, "Hello..."

The familiar voice unexpectedly entered his eardrums, instantly waking up the excited but nervous little brain.

"Hello!"

He finally remembered the greeting Bai Lu taught him.

Listening to the man's voice on the phone, Xiao Wei's heart and eyes were filled with joy.

Big brother was calling him!

Big brother was calling him for the first time!

"Where's Bai Lu?"

A basin of cold water poured over Xiao Wei from head to toe, making him shiver all over, from his ears to his heels.

Feeling beaten down, he had to answer, "She's hanging clothes."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

A heavy silence spread from both ends of the call.

After an unknown amount of time, the handset's voice came again, "Done hanging?"

Xiao Wei: "..."

"Not yet."

Another long silence.

Xiao Wei turned his head to look, and Bai Lu hadn't finished hanging the clothes yet. He clenched the edge of the table with the hand that held the phone, while the other hand squeezed the phone tightly.

"Today, a man came to our house."

The silent handset immediately heard a man's voice, "Who?"

"The one installing the phone."

Xiao Cheng: "..."

Silence again. Xiao Wei paused and continued, "When I came back from school this afternoon, I heard the neighbors chatting. They said a couple came to take our chestnuts. They arrived on a small tricycle in the morning."

Xiao Cheng generously gave a one-word response, "Oh."

Xiao Wei wanted to continue the conversation, but he really couldn't find any topics to chat about. "I'll go see if Sister-in-law has finished hanging the clothes."

"Mm."

No trace left.

The little bald head walked away sadly.

"Sister-in-law, Sister-in-law!"

Bai Lu had just finished hanging the clothes, put the bucket back in the bathroom, and was about to leave when a small figure ran up to her.

The small figure lifted the bald little head, and the big eyes were full of tiny grievances. Puckering his small mouth, he said, "Big brother asked you to answer the phone."

Bai Lu looked puzzled, "I don't have anything to say. You should talk to him. Didn't you want to talk to your brother just now? Why don't you chat with him a bit more?"

The gaze from Xiao Wei was even more resentful, "I'm done chatting. You go talk to Big Brother."

Next Chapter ▶▶

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 27 The Tragic Li Family

Time flew by, and half a month had passed.

Mo Yan had her days scheduled tightly. Apart from doing household chores and managing the space, she devoted herself to teaching her younger siblings.

Xin'er was nine years old this year, which in this era was considered a young lady. She couldn't be completely ignorant, so when Mo Yan learned that she wanted to learn needlework, she began to teach her. Xin'er was very clever. In half a month, she had made a decent-looking purse with simple patterns. She made one for herself, saying that she would make one for each family member when her skills improved.

Zhen'er was now six years old. Children of this age were at the peak of their cognitive development, and their memory was quite good. Currently, he could recognize over two hundred characters. Mo Yan also occasionally told him some enlightening stories she had heard in her past life, letting him comprehend on his own. However, whether it was learning ability or comprehension ability, Mo Yan, as his older sister, felt a bit ashamed.

In addition to these tasks, Mo Yan had to deliver eggs to the grocery store every day. The chickens raised in the space were bigger than those outside and laid larger eggs with a more delicious taste.

After receiving eggs from Mo Yan a few times, the grocery store owner heard customers praising the eggs as exceptionally delicious and became interested. When Mo Yan came to deliver eggs again, he made a long-term supply contract with her.

Originally, the grocery store owner hoped that Mo Yan could deliver three hundred eggs every day. However, the thirty chickens she bought earlier had not started laying eggs yet, and Lin Yong's side required one hundred and fifty eggs every day. With only over two thousand eggs stored previously, Mo Yan was worried about not being able to meet the demand, so she agreed to deliver only one hundred and fifty eggs per day. Although the store owner felt it was too little, he readily agreed when Mo Yan said she could supply three hundred eggs in half a month.

Even though each egg was only worth one wen, and only one hundred and fifty were sold each day, Mo Yan had earned over two taels of silver in half a month. This money came easily. Although she earned less, she didn't have to stand outside in the sun and rain selling things, and the quantity was stable. She felt it was quite good.

Just a few days ago, twenty-two of the thirty chickens began laying eggs. Now, there were already three hundred eggs delivered to the grocery store every day. However, even so, the grocery store was not enough to sell them all. The owner wanted Mo Yan to deliver more, but for caution's sake, Mo Yan did not agree.

Living such a comfortable and carefree life, almost like a dream come true for Mo Yan, she also knew that such days would not last forever.

Although she no longer worried about not being able to wake up one day, the space still existed, and it was related to her merit. She felt that there were still some things she had to continue doing, otherwise, who knew if the heavens would think she was wasting resources and strike her down with a bolt of lightning? If she were struck down, she could accept it, but if it affected her family from her past and present lives, she would have to kill herself.

At this moment, Mo Yan would never have imagined that her wild thoughts would actually come true!

...

During the days of fleeing, the family's bodies had suffered greatly from malnutrition. Now that they had some extra money, Mo Yan didn't want to treat herself poorly. She almost went to the butcher's shop every day to buy meat and bones to stew soup. The dozen or so roosters in the space had also been slaughtered by her for stewing. After half a month of eating soups and broths, the family's complexions improved significantly, no longer pale from lack of vegetables.

On this day, Mo Yan earned three hundred wen from selling eggs and went to the butcher's shop in a good mood to buy two catties of pork bones. Seeing a pair of pig intestines on the cutting board, her mind was immediately filled with thoughts of stir-fried pig intestines, yam and pig lung soup, sautéed pig heart...

Having been here for so long, she hadn't had any yet! Thinking about these delicious dishes, Mo Yan couldn't help but salivate. She happily spent thirty wen to buy a complete set of pig intestines and left with a smile on her face.

Walking to the bridge, Mo Yan saw that there were many people gathered in three layers outside the bridge. Walking forward, she looked through the crowd and saw a little girl in green and white clothes kneeling on the ground, her head buried low and her face obscured. Behind her, lay a thin old man, whose face was obscured by the girl's body, making it hard to see. However, looking at these two people, Mo Yan felt a sense of familiarity.

"Ah, these two are really pitiful. I saw this little girl kneeling in front of the medical hall begging the doctor to see her grandfather just a few days ago. But in this day and age, where can you find money to hire a doctor? Ah!"

"This little girl is filial, wanting to sell herself to save her grandfather, but who here has the spare money to spend twenty taels of silver to buy a maid?"

"I heard that these two fled from the south. Originally, they wanted to seek refuge with relatives, but those relatives wouldn't even let them in. It would have been better to go to the refugee camp on the outskirts of the city. Maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this!"

After listening to the discussions of these people, Mo Yan looked carefully and felt that the little girl's figure resembled Li Yan very much. When their families separated, wasn't Li Yan wearing this green and white dress?

Thinking of this, Mo Yan couldn't stand still. She quickly pushed through the crowd and squatted in front of the little girl, anxiously asking, "Yan'er, is it you?"

Li Yan, in a daze, heard someone calling her name. She raised her head in confusion, her eyes red and swollen, with tears still in the corners of her eyes. After recognizing the person in front of her, Li Yan rushed forward with a "wah," as if grabbing a life-saving straw, and hugged Mo Yan tightly, unwilling to let go.

Mo Yan felt sad when she heard her cry, but now was not the time to be sad. Mr. Li was unconscious, and it seemed that his condition was very bad. He needed to be taken to the medical hall immediately. So she couldn't take care of comforting Li Yan and hurriedly asked the kind-hearted people around her for help to take the old man to the medical hall.

In the medical hall, Mr. Li lay on the bed with his eyes tightly closed. It had been only half a month since they last saw each other, but the old man's cheeks were sunken, devoid of any flesh, and his exposed forearm was only skin and bones, as if it would break off with a slight touch. It was evident that during this time, the old man had suffered greatly.

In front of the bed, a gray-haired doctor was taking his pulse. However, his furrowed brows showed that the old man's condition was quite tricky.

Next Chapter▶▶

Chapter 133: The Phone

Wen Li took a sip of tea, attempting to calm her restlessness, but it had no effect.

After some small talk, she was forced to open the conversation by proposing a price increase: "Bai Lu, let me be straightforward. We also have some chestnuts at home and were thinking of boosting our fruit store's business by making sugar-coated chestnuts. Your sugar-coated chestnuts taste good, and we're wondering if you're interested in partnering with us?"

"We can offer ten thousand yuan to learn the method."

Ten thousand yuan for the recipe? Isn't that asking for the moon? If Bai Lu were an inexperienced country girl, she might have been tempted by this meager profit.

However, Bai Lu, with her keen business sense, saw through Gao Jianchuan and Wen Li's intentions of monopolizing the market after obtaining the method.

"Rare for you both to appreciate sugar-coated chestnuts. I quite like the current business model, and I'm not planning to explore a new path for now," Bai Lu calmly responded.

Gao Jianchuan sensed Bai Lu's dissatisfaction with the price and suggested an increase: "If you're not satisfied with this price, we can discuss it further. Eleven thousand, how about that?"

Bai Lu smiled, "The income from sugar-coated chestnuts is stable for now; there's no rush for quick money."

"You see, partnering isn't about making quick money. If you sell us the method, there will just be another store selling sugar-coated chestnuts in the market. You can continue selling your sugar-coated chestnuts, and with our store opening outside the city, the reputation of sugar-coated chestnuts will spread even further. Our sugar-coated chestnut business will be better than it is now. It's a win-win situation!" Wen Li, using her business perspective, tried to amplify the benefits, attempting to change Bai Lu's mind.

Gao Jianchuan also highlighted the potential benefits Bai Lu could gain after selling the method.

However, Bai Lu remained silent and didn't respond to their proposals.

After elaborating on the benefits for a long time, Gao Jianchuan and Wen Li were puzzled by Bai Lu's lack of reaction.

They began to suspect whether Bai Lu was a fool for not seizing an opportunity to earn big and quick money.

However, Bai Lu continued to dodge their questions about where she sourced the chestnuts, completely disrupting their prepared strategies.

In the end, Gao Jianchuan and Wen Li could only buy a few dozen sugar-coated chestnuts and leave. Whether they would continue to cooperate in selling chestnuts depended on whether they could figure out the recipe.

After a busy morning, Bai Lu finally sent away all the buyers and sellers of chestnuts.

As she closed the door, ready to go to the market to buy vegetables with a small basket, another customer knocked on the door.

Opening it, she found a middle-aged couple she didn't know.

The woman held a moderately sized new box, and the man had a small toolbox in his hand.

"We're here to install the telephone. Is this the home of Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu?"

Bai Lu was momentarily stunned but nodded, "Yes, it's our home."

The woman, assuming there were no other voices in the house, concluded that the girl in front of her must be the mistress of the house, Bai Lu. She explained the situation, "Your husband, Xiao Cheng, bought a telephone from our store yesterday, already paid for it. He asked us to come today to install it but told us not to come too early. So, here we are at this time."

"Xiao Cheng mentioned that there's his wife, Bai Lu, at home, and we just need to find Bai Lu."

"Oh... alright."

Bai Lu opened the courtyard gate and invited the two in.

The telephone couple was led into the main house.

While the woman unpacked the new box, she asked Bai Lu, "Have you decided where you want the telephone installed?"

Bai Lu, pouring tea for the two, felt a bit puzzled, "Didn't Xiao Cheng say anything?"

The woman smiled and said, "He said it's entirely up to you. You can decide where you'd like it installed."

Bai Lu looked slightly dazed, smiled, and handed the tea to the telephone couple, "Then let's install it in the main house."

The telephone couple drank the tea and started installing the telephone.

Throughout the process, the man, from entering to leaving after the installation was complete, didn't exchange a single word with Bai Lu.

The woman, meanwhile, communicated with Bai Lu throughout the installation.

Bai Lu felt a bit perplexed but didn't dwell on it. Perhaps, like Xiao Cheng, this man wasn't much of a talker.

Once the telephone was installed, usage instructions, phone number, service hotline, and various precautions were explained to Bai Lu. After completing their job, the telephone couple left.

As Bai Lu escorted them to the door, Xiao Wei, who had just returned from school, stood outside the gate, watching attentively and following the couple with his gaze as they left.

As soon as they were gone, the little guy rushed into the house, stood still, and stared at Bai Lu with a serious and vigilant expression. There was a subtle hint of wariness in his tone as he asked, "Are they the new chestnut sellers?"

"No."

Bai Lu noticed the little guy's alertness, wanted to pat his head, but refrained, thinking it might hurt. She smiled and nodded, "They came to install the telephone."

"Did we get a telephone?"

Xiao Wei, with his small school bag on his back, was full of excitement and eagerness in his bright eyes.

Bai Lu couldn't resist and patted his bald head, "Yes."

"Is it the one I passed by Li Shuxian's store today, where the owner picked it up, talked to someone, and there was a person talking inside the phone?"

The little bald head, full of excitement, seemed ready to burst into little flower buds.

Bai Lu couldn't help but laugh, nodding, "Exactly. Your brother said he would call every day."

"Why would my brother call you?"

The little guy, with a slightly mistrustful expression, excitedly asked, "Did he say he would call me?"

Bai Lu: "..."

Why would he call her? The aloof and tsundere big brother wouldn't say such things. If it were a tipsy three-year-old, it might be possible. Xiao Wei seemed to have misunderstood again.

On May 19, 1997, Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu's home finally got its first telephone.

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 Chapter 677: Where is Lu Erbai?

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  Chapter 26 Disturbance

"Lin, I don't want to fight with you today. Be smart and take your people and leave, or else, don't blame me for being rude!"

Zhang Hu taunted Lin Yong triumphantly. He thought that this Lin guy was too arrogant, disdaining to compete with others. But now, didn't he bring people to occupy this newly set up porridge shed?

Originally, Zhang Hu received a message from his lackeys that a new porridge shed had been set up in the camp today, but Lin Yong brought his people to occupy it. Zhang Hu had always disliked Lin Yong, and this time he was determined to snatch the new porridge shed from Lin Yong's hands.

Lin Yong gave him a cold glance, too lazy to waste words. With a wave of his right hand, he shouted, "Attack!"

Lin Da and the others had long been fed up with the arrogance of Zhang Hu and his gang. They had wanted to beat them up for a long time. Now that their boss had given the order, they rushed over like they were on drugs, making those who had planned to resist cry and beg for mercy, retracting their tails and behaving themselves.

Lin Yong didn't just stand by. He approached Zhang Hu, who was trying to dodge, grabbed him, and threw him to the ground without giving him a chance to resist. With his right fist clenched, he ruthlessly hammered Zhang Hu's stomach, the dull sounds particularly satisfying.

Zhang Hu, tough as he was, didn't beg for mercy even though he was crying out in pain. His few lackeys wanted to come to his aid but were kicked down by Lin Yong one by one.

Mo Yan applauded with satisfaction. She couldn't intervene directly in this situation, so she could only let the elders and children disperse to avoid being accidentally injured.

Lin Yong had some skills, more than enough to deal with Zhang Hu, but Lin Da and the others were only strong, without any fighting skills. In the situation of being outnumbered, they were not in an advantageous position. Mo Yan saw that several people on Lin Yong's side were being overwhelmed and felt extremely anxious. If Zhang Hu and his gang gained the upper hand this time, they would definitely keep coming back to cause trouble like today in the future.

For the sake of future peace, Mo Yan didn't care much. She found a thick stick from the pile of firewood and tightly held it in her hand. She shouted loudly to the elders and children around her, who were equally worried, "If we don't teach them a lesson today, we won't get any of this food. Instead of waiting to starve to death, why don't we fight back? There are so many of us, can't we defeat them?"

These elders and children had a hard time. They could hardly get any food on normal days, often being robbed by Zhang Hu and his gang. Mo Yan's shout immediately stirred up their unpleasant memories. For a moment, their anger and grievances surged up, and their eyes turned red.

"Yes, we can't let these beasts take advantage of us. We must drive them away!"

"Let's all go together and drive them away!"

"Alright, let's go together and drive them away!"

This shout was like a call to arms, and everyone, whether old or young, held a thick stick and rushed to the bad guys, raining blows on them. With their anger burning, everyone exerted their utmost strength. The bad guys were beaten up and cried out in pain, wanting to resist, but being surrounded by more than a dozen or even twenty people, they had no room for resistance at all.

In no time, those thirty or forty people were beaten black and blue, each holding their heads and crying for their parents, begging for mercy in a sorry state.

At this point, Zhang Hu, who had been beaten up and didn't know where was up or down, had completely lost the idea of competing with Lin Yong. He didn't expect that even with so many people he brought, they would all be beaten to the ground. Not to mention himself, these people would probably never dare to go against Lin Yong again in the future. Whether they would listen to him in the future was unknown.

Zhang Hu and his gang slunk away like defeated dogs, while on Mo Yan's side, whether it was Lin Yong and the others or the elders and children, they were all jubilant because they knew that Zhang Hu would never dare to come and cause trouble easily in the future, and their food would not be taken away again.

Lin Yong led the people to restore order, and everyone happily squatted on the side, eating the thick porridge with rice and vegetables. Although the space was still at a basic level and had no other functions besides improving the taste of vegetables and rice, this simple porridge was already a supreme delicacy for the elderly and children who had been starving for a long time.

Seeing them enjoying their meal, Mo Yan was also extremely satisfied.

The food brought today was enough for two meals, and another batch would be made in the afternoon. Mo Yan trusted Lin Yong's character. She had a lot of things to do and couldn't come here every day, so she told Lin Yong about it.

Naturally, Lin Yong wouldn't say anything. He just let Mo Yan rest assured that he would take care of this place well and wouldn't let anyone cause trouble.

That night, while everyone in the family was asleep, Mo Yan entered the space, intending to cultivate seedlings for potatoes and sweet potatoes. She deliberately went to the Jade Platform to take a look at the beads, expecting to see an additional red line. Unexpectedly, she didn't see a single red thread, which made her feel a little depressed. She knew that hoping for the space to upgrade soon couldn't be forced, so after feeling gloomy for a while, she let go of this matter.

In the following days, Mo Yan prepared food on time every day and had Mr. Meng deliver it. In addition to vegetables and staple food (potatoes and sweet potatoes), she also put a basket of eggs under Mr. Meng's disapproving gaze, saying that they were for the children and breastfeeding women. Mr. Meng sighed but didn't say anything more.

When Lin Yong and the group of old men saw the basket of eggs, they all cried like children. After hearing Mr. Meng's explanation, Mo Yan couldn't help but laugh and cry. She hadn't done much at all!

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