Mo Lingxi's movements paused, his thin lips pressed together in silence. Just as Zi Cheng had said, sincerity could be felt.
During those days, although he didn't know Tao Lengshuang's intentions for treating him well, she had genuinely cared for him, and even more so for Xiao Feng.
It was precisely because of this that his attitude towards her had changed, little by little, without him even realizing it.
"But she, I don't know her intentions."
Zi Cheng understood the crux of the issue. Uncle had lived amidst schemes and conspiracies his entire life. Everyone except him had ulterior motives for their kindness, which was why Uncle was so wary of doctors.
"Uncle, regardless of the doctor's intentions, as long as they don't threaten you and Xiao Feng, or bring harm to the country, why should you care?"
He smiled warmly, "Uncle, you can tell whether the doctor has malicious intent, can't you?"
Mo Lingxi fell silent again. He could tell if Tao Lengshuang had malicious intent.
Moreover, as she had once said, if she truly wanted to harm him and Xiao Feng, they would have been dead long ago, not alive and well.
"Uncle, speaking of Xiao Feng's matters, what you believe is good for Xiao Feng might not be good in his eyes. Have you asked for Xiao Feng's opinion?"
Zi Cheng saw Mo Lingxi shake his head, not surprisingly, and then held his forehead. "If it were Uncle, would you be willing to be separated from your parents and live in a strange place, being guarded your whole life?"
This time, Mo Lingxi understood more. He pinched his temples. "But Xiao Feng will be in danger."
"Then can Uncle guarantee that Xiao Feng will not be in danger in the place Uncle has prepared for him?"
Mo Lingxi pursed his lips and said no more.
"Uncle, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Like me, who could have imagined that the one to detoxify me would be Uncle's wife, and she even helped me injure the attacker, allowing me to investigate many matters."
"I am worried about Xiao Feng."
"Is Uncle worried about Xiao Feng, or unwilling to let the doctor blame herself?"
Mo Lingxi's heart jolted, and he looked up at Zi Cheng.
Zi Cheng smiled, "Uncle, the doctor might not be good-looking, but she is truly good to you and Xiao Feng, and wholeheartedly devoted to the family."
"Furthermore, I heard the doctor is trying to lose weight. Once she loses weight, she might become a delicate beauty. Why should you be prejudiced against her because of her appearance?"
Mo Lingxi didn't reply, turning his head to look out the window, lost in thought.
Zi Cheng said no more. Some things, in the end, Uncle had to figure out for himself.
He hoped Uncle could be happy, and no longer live a life where everyone schemed against him.
At the same time.
Tao Lengshuang was sitting in the room with Xiao Feng when she heard Shen Ershen's voice.
"Mo family, Mo family, are you there?"
Tao Lengshuang asked Xiao Feng to stay put and, braving the slightly heavy snow, went to the main entrance. She invited Shen Ershen into the main hall to talk.
"Shen Ershen, has there been any movement from the Tao family?"
Shen Ershen shook off the snow, rubbed her hands, and breathed out warm air. "That middle-aged man has arrived. He said he's going to build a magnificent house for the Tao family."
Upon hearing this, Tao Lengshuang immediately took Xiao Feng and went to the Tao family with Shen Ershen.
Upon arriving at the Tao family's house, she saw an ordinary-looking middle-aged man in linen clothes, with a somewhat arrogant demeanor, standing in the yard and pointing. Old Master Tao and the others followed behind him like sycophants.
"You are the one who will help the Tao family build a house?"
She handed Xiao Feng to Shen Ershen and walked towards the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man's eyes flashed with something as he saw Tao Lengshuang. He said with a chuckle, "Yes, is there something you need?"
Tao Lengshuang sensed his momentary tension, and her eyes changed slightly. "I'm just curious why a stranger like you would spend so much silver to help the Tao family build a new house."
Her stern gaze swept over them, and then she weighed the medicine bag. Instantly, Old Master Tao and the others dared not say another word, shrinking to the side.
The middle-aged man unconsciously took a step back, his smile fading slightly. "I am not helping the Tao family build a new house unconditionally. They will work for me for twenty years."
Old Master Tao and the others repeatedly said it was so, looking at Tao Lengshuang with arrogance and smugness.
Tao Lengshuang knew it wasn't that simple. She also knew that this middle-aged man was likely targeting her.
She just didn't know who was behind this middle-aged man.
"Then you've truly struck a great bargain." Her words were cold and distant.
The middle-aged man felt a chill run down his spine. "It is indeed a great bargain. In twenty years, the Tao family can help me do many things."
Tao Lengshuang nodded repeatedly, as if saying, "You've really struck a great bargain." "It's more than that. If you give the Tao family a little taste of sweetness, even if you ask the Tao family to help you commit murder and arson, they will do it."
As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers who were watching erupted.
"Could it really be as the Mo family said?"
"I think it's very possible. Look, the Tao family has nothing, and they are a greedy, selfish, and stingy family. If it were you or me, would we spend more than ten taels of silver to help a stranger build a house?"
"That's what I'm thinking. The Tao family's greatest value is to have them do unspeakable deeds, and then use them as scapegoats. Who would know then that it wasn't the Tao family who did it?"
"The most crucial point is that the Tao family comes from humble origins. If they call out to heaven, heaven won't answer, and if they call out to earth, earth won't respond. The other party can easily get rid of the Tao family with a flick of their finger."
Hearing this, Old Master Tao and the others paid no attention, their minds filled with the beautiful and prosperous days to come.
"I know you people are envious of our family."
Yu Shi raised her head proudly, as if she were a noble person and they were all lowly beings. "You don't need to be envious. You can't be envious of this."
"Also, don't come to our house to borrow money in the future. Our family will not lend money to you lowly beings."
"Mother, why are you talking so much to these people? It lowers our family's status." Tao Fangfang put on a high-and-mighty posture. "Now our family is rich, we cannot associate with these lowly beings."
Yu Shi gently patted her hand, her smile making the wrinkles on her face bloom like a flower. "You're right. I can't talk to these lowly beings anymore, it will lower my status."
The mother and daughter's words were met with mockery from the villagers.
"Oh, oh, oh, where did this peasant come from? Dressed like a bear, but not at all like a bear."
"Don't insult bears. Bears find their own food and have their own abilities. They don't rely on others, unlike this family, who are smugly proud of relying on unknown outsiders."
"The Tao family is simply laughable. This is the so-called, even if dressed in silk, they don't look like rich people. No matter how they pretend, they can't look like rich people."
The Tao family was furious and started arguing with the villagers.