At noon, during lunch, Zhang Erniu and Zhang Xiao Niu arrived.
"The village head only reprimanded Li Shan, he didn't kick him out," Zhang Erniu said with a look of annoyance, as if it were his own failure.
Qi Zhenzhen had already guessed this outcome. Last time, the incident with Da Hei Jin Ping had caused such a commotion, and yet they weren't expelled from the village. After all, in ancient times, expulsion was a severe punishment. Although Li Shan's actions were disgusting, they hadn't caused any significant impact. The village head couldn't expel him just because of his good relationship with the Qi family.
"After this incident, Li Shan will have to behave himself. He'll definitely learn his lesson and won't come to provoke us again," Qi Zhenzhen smiled. "This is good enough."
Good enough? Zhang Erniu felt it was far from good. If Li Shan wasn't expelled, Lin Ruixue might encounter him in the village. How could she bear to see Li Shan doting on that pale flower? He had intended to help her resolve this trouble, but it turned out to be a wasted effort. Li Shan only received a scolding.
Lin Ruixue, of course, didn't know what Zhang Erniu was thinking. She nodded at him, "Brother Zhang, thank you today."
Zhang Erniu suddenly stood up, his face flushed red, and he waved his hands in a panic, "Thank, thank me for what? I didn't help much."
When she had gone out, the villagers were all watching the spectacle. Only he had spoken up for her, and she remembered this favor.
Lin Ruixue smiled at Zhang Erniu, not arguing with him, and sat quietly.
"Brother Zhang, why are you so agitated? You almost knocked over the table just now," Qi Zhenzhen glanced at him. "Sister Ruixue is not an outsider."
Zhang Erniu chuckled, "I just feel like I didn't do anything, so I don't deserve thanks."
Qi Zhenzhen said "oh" and brought out some snacks from the storage room, all homemade: spiced peanuts and spiced sunflower seeds. She invited Zhang Erniu and Zhang Xiao Niu to eat.
"Brother Zhang, could I trouble you with something?" Lin Ruixue suddenly spoke.
As before, Zhang Erniu became agitated again and stammered, asking what it was.
"Every year on the second day of the Lunar New Year, we used to go to my mother's side of the family. We didn't go this year, and I'm afraid my parents will worry. I'd like to ask you to take Huzizi over there to tell them about this, and say that I'll return once I'm better." Lin Ruixue looked a bit troubled.
Zhang Erniu nodded repeatedly.
"Brother Zhang can drive the carriage, so it will be faster," Qi Zhenzhen said.
Zhang Erniu agreed, "Miss Qi, please also prepare a thick quilt. Although your carriage has a cabin, it's only one layer of wood and won't keep out the cold. With a quilt, Huzizi will suffer less."
"Brother Zhang, I didn't realize you were so thoughtful," Qi Zhenzhen teased.
Zhang Xiao Niu also joined in the teasing, "Why haven't I seen you care about me like this?"
Zhang Erniu's face turned red, "It's just that Lin Family Village is a bit far away."
Zhang Xiao Niu wanted to say that going to the capital was even farther than Lin Family Village, but Zhang Erniu glared at him, and he swallowed the words. He decided to be more honest. If he angered his second brother, he wouldn't be able to beat him.
After hitching the horse, Zhang Erniu spread out the quilt and lifted Huzizi into the carriage.
Zhang Erniu drove the carriage back home, brought back two jars of wine, two packs of pastries, and two of the dried wild rabbits he had prepared earlier. It wouldn't be proper to visit someone's home during the New Year empty-handed, even if it was just to deliver a message. Moreover, although this matter was still uncertain, he wanted to make a good impression on her family.
Huzizi was not familiar with Zhang Erniu and sat quietly in the carriage, wondering why Uncle Zhang was bringing so many things.
Zhang Erniu had a plan. Huzizi lived with Lin Ruixue, and in the future, they would be a family. He wanted to get acquainted with him first.
Boys have a heroic complex. Zhang Erniu quickly started a conversation, talking about fighting enemies on the battlefield, though not about himself. As they talked, they moved on to hunting, and Li Hu's voice began to carry a hint of excitement.
"Uncle Zhang, do you know kung fu?" Li Hu asked.
"A little."
"Are you very good?"
"I guess so?"
"Brother Yi is very good at practicing horse stance. I'm not. I've learned a few times from Aunt Zhenzhen, but I'm clumsy."
A hint of smugness flashed in Zhang Erniu's eyes. This was a perfect excuse, and now he wouldn't worry about not having opportunities to interact.
"I'm clumsy too, but clumsy people have their own ways. As long as you persevere, you can also train to be skilled. However, aren't you on the path of studying? Why do you want to practice martial arts now?" Zhang Erniu asked. "Doing too many things can easily lead to distraction."
"I want to be skilled so I can protect my mother. Scholars are all weak and unable to even lift a chicken. I don't want to be like that," Li Hu said sullenly.
"Good boy, you have aspirations. I'll teach you, do you want to learn?" Zhang Erniu asked.
Li Hu lifted the curtain of the carriage and poked his head out, "Uncle Zhang, is what you said true?"
"A man of his word is as good as his bond. Of course, it's true. But I'm very strict, so you should think carefully."
"I'll learn, I'll learn."
The carriage moved quickly, and they soon arrived at Lin Family Village. Li Hu guided the way, and they quickly reached the Lin family's ancestral home.
The carriage made quite a commotion. Before Zhang Erniu could stop the carriage, someone from the Lin family came out. Seeing that he was a stranger, they were a bit puzzled, "Brother, did you come to the wrong door?"
Li Hu lifted the carriage curtain, "Uncle, it's me."
Lin Ruichun saw Huzizi and smiled, "I was wondering why you didn't come back. Where are your parents? Are they in the carriage? Do I have to call them out? Is this brother driving? Thank you for your hard work, thank you. Come in and have some ginger soup to warm up."
Lin Ruichun was very enthusiastic, and Zhang Erniu had a good impression of him.
Taking the items out of the carriage, Zhang Erniu said, "Brother Lin, let's talk inside. Sister Lin didn't come, only Huzizi and I came to deliver a message."
Lin Ruichun looked suspicious, but he had seen earlier that there was no one in the carriage.
After entering the house, Lin Ruichun invited the Lin family elders out. Zhang Erniu explained the Li family's situation, leaving out nothing.
The old lady of the Lin family held Li Hu and cried out mournfully, "My poor daughter!"
The two Lin brothers stood up with angry expressions, "Damn Li Shan! When he proposed to our younger sister, he said he would treat her well. Now he's done something like this. I won't let him get away with it. Father, Mother, you can rest assured at home. We'll go and drag Li Shan here and make him give our Lin family an explanation. Have these years of how our family treated him been forgotten?"
"Sit down!" The old man of the Lin family said sternly, "How old are you two? You want to fight and kill at the slightest thing. Didn't you hear? Li Shan has already given your sister a letter of divorce! With what status will you go and arrest him? If this escalates, it will involve yourselves, and then you'll have us old folks running around for you?"