Xie Jiang had Da Chui carry the youth back. She then healed his injuries. Xie Jiang didn't ask the youth where he was from or how he got hurt, treating him as if she had simply picked up a stray puppy.
The youth also didn't volunteer information about his home. After staying at the Xie residence for a few days, he took his leave.
They unexpectedly met again today at Yongfeng Village.
"It's just a bit of food and supplies. Young Master Xu, you don't need to be so polite. You saved me before, after all. Helping you find some things is nothing."
The youth felt they had a connection, and helping them with such a small matter was hardly worth mentioning, let alone requiring Young Master Xu to offer something in exchange.
Although their village lacked many things, they couldn't trade like this. It was one thing to help, and if they truly needed something, he could make a special trip to Ninghe to seek their assistance.
Now that they had been brought to Yongfeng Village by Lu Baohong, it was only right for him, as the host, to extend his hospitality.
Seeing that it was getting late, the youth said to Xu Hengyan and Xie Jiang, "Then I'll go gather them first and bring them to you shortly."
"Thank you," Xu Hengyan suddenly remembered. "Right, I still don't know your name?"
Xie Jiang also looked at the youth. "Oh yes, what's your name?"
The youth looked as if he had been struck by lightning. It was normal for Young Master Xu not to know his name, as he hadn't interacted much with Young Master Xu. But for Young Master Xie...
Young Master Xie didn't remember his name!
"My name is Luo Shou," the youth reported his name with a wronged expression and then ran off.
Xu Hengyan withdrew his gaze and looked at Xie Jiang, as if Xie Jiang were a faithless lover.
Luo Shou clearly held her, his savior, in his heart.
He saw how much she had hurt him.
Xie Jiang was puzzled. "I caught a fish, and I have to remember its name? Didn't I remember its appearance? I recognized it at a glance."
She was truly thoughtful.
Xu Hengyan gazed in the direction of the courtyard gate without speaking.
Xie Jiang, sensing something, turned to look. She saw Luo Shou hadn't left yet, standing outside the low wall with a mournful expression.
Xie Jiang: "...I remember now, Luo Shou."
~
No sooner had Luo Shou left than Lu Baohong arrived.
He kicked open the dilapidated courtyard gate with a dark expression, only to meet Xu Hengyan's gaze, which was as sharp as shattered ice. Lu Baohong flinched and averted his eyes.
But he had come to question them, so how could he be intimidated at the very first moment!
Lu Baohong glared at Xie Jiang instead. His hatred for Xie Jiang was enough to overcome his fear of her.
"What was that kid just now? Do you know people from Yongfeng Village? Have you been to Yongfeng Village before?"
The guards in the eastern woods must have been severely injured by Xie Jiang!
How could someone named Xie collude with people from Yongfeng Village? She, a talent from Lan Yong, had only been in Dayu for a short time, how could she possibly know the wild people from deep in the mountains?
Lu Baohong found it impossible, yet he couldn't help but doubt. He had seen with his own eyes a youth leave this courtyard just now!
Xie Jiang said disdainfully, "I told you to use your brain more. Xu Hengyan is an official. Would the people of Yongfeng Village let him in when they're trying to avoid him? As for me, do you think I'm very familiar with your Dayu?"
Logically, it made sense, but, "You don't know that kid just now?"
Xie Jiang crossed her legs. "Whether we knew him or not, don't we know him now?"
He knew it was impossible to know him! Lu Baohong pressed, "Then what did that kid want from you?"
Xie Jiang frowned. "The village aunties thought Xu Hengyan was handsome and insisted on finding a match for him, wanting him to leave some good stock in the village..."
"..."
Xu Hengyan watched her fabricating a story on the spot.
She had such a mouth.
She could say anything, dare to say anything!
What on earth was "good stock"!
Lu Baohong was so shocked that he began to doubt life itself. Such a thing could happen! It was too unbelievable! But looking at Xu Hengyan's extraordinary demeanor, he had to admit...
It was impossible for this to happen to others, but for Xu Hengyan, it was very possible that he would be fancied by fierce aunties and then paired with some beautiful young women.
Lu Baohong's mind was a bit hazy, but he maintained a sliver of clarity. "Young Master Xu has been in the courtyard the whole time. When were the aunties supposed to have seen him? Wasn't it a young man who went out just now?"
"We entered the village with our eyes covered, how would we know when they saw him? We wanted to ask you what's going on!" Xie Jiang slammed the table and questioned him aggressively.
"Yongfeng Village is their territory, how would I know..." Lu Baohong couldn't recall.
His momentum was completely suppressed. Lu Baohong shrugged, tilted his chin up, and with an outwardly strong but inwardly weak voice, he bellowed, "You still haven't answered my question, what exactly was that kid doing here?"
Xie Jiang glanced at Xu Hengyan, a hint of envy in her eyes. "The aunties were afraid of scaring Xu Hengyan, so they sent a young man as a negotiator."
Xu Hengyan: "..."
She spoke without thinking, it was almost a gift.
"..."
Lu Baohong silently cursed in his mind.
The village aunties really treated Xu Hengyan like a treasure.
They were even afraid of frightening Xu Hengyan with their over-enthusiasm.
Lu Baohong's mood was extremely complicated. He found the matter utterly absurd, yet he couldn't help but believe it.
"What did that kid say to you? And how did you reply?" Did he say anything he shouldn't have?
Did they take this opportunity to collude with the people of Yongfeng Village? Lu Baohong's gaze became increasingly vigilant and suspicious.
Xie Jiang said, "Of course, we agreed to such a good thing. The aunties said that as long as Xu Hengyan agreed, they would send us all the living supplies, food, clothing, and daily necessities in the village."
Lu Baohong didn't believe it. "Just this?"
Xie Jiang retorted, "Don't you think it's a good deal?"
Lu Baohong was speechless.
As long as the aunties' daughters were decent-looking, Xu Hengyan would have a few days of pleasure without any loss.
But, for just a bit of living supplies?
Was the Duke of Wei's heir so cheap?
Then Lu Baohong suspiciously asked, "Do the aunties know Xu Young Master's identity?"
Xie Jiang said, "Do you think the aunties, who are confined to the mountains their whole lives, would know which tree Young Master Xu is a persimmon from?"
Lu Baohong shook his head.
Xie Jiang said proudly, "The aunties fancied Xu Hengyan as a person, not his identity."
Lu Baohong said, "Then they are wishful thinking, wanting to be Xu Young Master's mother-in-law. Did Xu Young Master agree?"
Xie Jiang said, "I agreed on behalf of Xu Young Master."
Xu Hengyan stood aside with his hands behind his back, not uttering a word.
His heart had been tempered through countless trials, and he could remain unfazed by her level of nonsense.
Lu Baohong secretly observed Xu Hengyan's expression.
Xie Jiang, as Xu Young Master's little lover, actually pushed Xu Young Master away. Could Xu Young Master tolerate this?
Yet, he saw Xu Young Master's expressionless face.
Xu Young Master could actually tolerate it?!
Xu Young Master was no longer the Xu Young Master he used to be.