Wanjin Lady

Chapter 181 Someone Cares
Cheng Yunzhang saw that the young lady was wrapped tightly with a cloak, a curtain, a hot water bottle, and a scarf, layer upon layer, like a rice dumpling wrapped tightly with leaves. After being stripped naked, she was shiny and smooth, with delicate skin and tender flesh.

The weather was very cold. When she entered the house, the wind chimes on the corridor swayed, bringing with them the cool fragrance of plum blossoms.

He raised his eyes.

What a pretty and elegant young lady.

Cheng Yunzhang immediately felt that the book in his hand came alive.

The young lady looked around as soon as she entered the room. After searching in vain, her eyes finally fixed on his face.

The young lady raised her familiar fox smile on her face, "Senior Brother Xiu Wen——"

In the study, Cheng Yunzhang was leaning against the stove, a book in his hands. A cup of tea sat on the stove, filling the room with the aroma of tea. Two oranges were roasting on an iron rack beside the stove. Cheng Yunzhang was so engrossed in watching them that the orange peels gave off a burnt aroma.

The whole room was filled with a strange mixed fragrance.

"Junior sister." Cheng Yunzhang stood up, put the book down and stood up to greet her, his tone teasing, "Junior sister, you are not hiding from me now?"

hide?
How could Wen Wan not hide?
Others may not know, but Yuan Liulang died right in front of her.

Even if Yuan Liulang deserved to die, she couldn't appear in front of the Cheng and Yuan families with a clear conscience after killing him.

Therefore, except for the day when Wen Wan was forced to borrow money from Manager Ding and others and had to talk to Cheng Yunzhang, she occasionally came to this courtyard to hand in homework and avoided Cheng Yunzhang.

"Brother Xiuwen, you misunderstood." The young lady took off her cloak and sat down. Her belly was slightly visible, and since she was wearing thick winter clothes, it wasn't noticeable. "I was just thinking... I borrowed a large sum of money from Brother Xiuwen. Isn't it like a mouse meeting a cat when a debtor meets a lender?"

Cheng Yunzhang curled his lips slightly, "Junior sister is not a rat."

Junior sister is a fox.

"I'm not a cat either."

She smiled gently, "Even if Senior Brother is not a cat and I am not a mouse, but you are a man and I am a newly widowed woman——"

Speaking of this, Wen Wan thought of her character as "a charming and pretty widow whose husband died", suppressed the corners of her lips that were slightly raised, tightened her face, and looked abnormally... disconnected.

Cheng Yunzhang understood.

To avoid suspicion.

Wen Wan lowered her face, a look of misery on her face. "Although I'm not bound by the same constraints as other women, my brother's fate is imminent, and his reputation is at stake. At this critical juncture...you and I should avoid suspicion."

Ah.

Cheng Yunzhang chuckled in his heart.

Newly widowed?

Fortunately she could speak out!

"In that case, since there are only me and my junior sister in this room, why don't you try to avoid me, a stranger?"

Wen Wan: ...

Why is this scholar so sarcastic?

"Actually, I came here today specifically to look for you, Senior Brother." Wen Wan sat up straight. "Do you know Mr. An from Anyang County?"

Cheng Yunzhang frowned, "An...Baonian?"

"Brother, do you know anything about this person?"

Although he didn't know what Wen Wan was planning, Cheng Yunzhang said carefully, "I don't know her well, but we've met a few times. We were in the same examination room, and we exchanged a few words when the results were announced."

Cheng Yunzhang disliked gossiping about his classmates and simply advised Wen Wan, "If you have any business dealings with him, be careful. He's... arrogant and boastful, with high expectations but poor skills. I'm afraid he'll be difficult to get along with."

Wen Wan frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then told Cheng Yunzhang everything about Mei Qing, from the first time she saw Mei Qing in Ping County, to later asking her to calculate the account books, and finally to Guangji's appointment. The young lady's voice was clear and unhurried. In a few words, she told Cheng Yunzhang about her relationship with Mei Qing and the current difficulties.

"Ms. Mei and her son have been abducted by An Baonian. Their whereabouts are unknown, and their fate is uncertain... Moreover, this incident was caused by me. I cannot stand idly by."

Cheng Yunzhang was silent for a moment, "Junior sister, are you on good terms with this Miss Mei?"

Wen Wan shook her head, "We've only met a few times."

A look of doubt flashed across Cheng Yunzhang's face.

According to his observation, this fox junior sister is the kind of person who will not do anything without a profit, but today she is going to save people, contrary to her usual behavior?
They rescued someone who was insignificant. "Anyang is at least a hundred miles away from here. The journey would be arduous, and my junior sister is now pregnant... I'm afraid she can't handle it."

Wen Wan lowered her eyes slightly, "I know."

Cheng Yunzhang was silent for a moment.

"Although An Baonian may not be particularly talented, he is a recognized scholar by the imperial court. Since you are engaged in business and are naturally intelligent, you should know how to seek benefits and avoid harm."

Wen Wan's lips curled up in sarcasm, "I know this... too."

"Even so..." Cheng Yunzhang frowned, completely confused about what was going on in the mind of the young lady in front of him. He was also hurt by the flash of mockery on her face. "You still want to save Junior Sister?"

The question was asked in a gentle silence.

The young lady was in deep thought and a little dazed.

Perhaps because she was pregnant, her little face was nourished with vitality, her cheeks were white and rosy, and she looked very healthy.

However, there was hesitation deep in his eyes.

"Actually... I haven't thought about it yet."

"I'm a businessman, not a savior, not a bodhisattva who can dispel disasters and solve problems. I don't intend to be a good person. It's just that—"

The wind was cold, snowflakes were flying outside, and there was a faint scent of oranges in the house.

The young lady was sitting there with a silk paper screen behind her. Her face looked weak and struggling, yet inexplicably resolute.

It was as if there was an invisible string behind her, pulling her like a puppet, making her sway from side to side.

"But if I couldn't see it, I would naturally seek benefits and avoid harm, and say that Buddha cannot save people, only oneself can be saved. But I saw it, and it came right in front of me. I can't turn a deaf ear to it and turn a blind eye to Miss Qimei's plea for help."

"I don't want to regret it in the future."

"So, I'm willing to save her just to make myself feel better. Ultimately, I'm still a selfish person."

The young lady's voice was steady.

Echoing softly in the room.

Cheng Yunzhang was speechless.

All the truths he wanted to say turned to ashes at this moment.

Cheng Yunzhang's voice was slightly annoyed. "There are so many fish on the shore. Can you save them all?"

"Save one life, save one life."

"Who cares?"

The girl's tone instantly turned coquettish, "As long as this fish cares, that's all that matters."

Cheng Yunzhang was furious.

He didn't even know what he was angry about.

I was angry at her naivety and frankness, angry at her for overestimating her own abilities and wanting to confront An Baonian head-on, angry at her for not knowing how to protect herself, and angry at her for coming from a merchant family but trying to imitate others in their righteousness.

Ok.

I was angry that she was trying to help others even though she was in trouble herself.

"What a fish you care about!"

Yao Shizhen's voice came from outside the door. The old man smiled and his eyes fell on Wen Wan the moment he entered the room.

Wen Wan quickly stood up and saluted, but was held down by Madam Yao. "Girl, I heard everything Miss Mei said just now. It's hard for you... You're still pregnant, and you should be resting and taking care of the baby, but you're worried about these things all day long."

Wen Wan was a little embarrassed. "It's really because of me that this happened. If I had..."

"What did you say back then?" Old Master Yao interrupted her. "You didn't give her a chance to live? You didn't save them? Then they and their daughter would be dead!"

(End of this chapter)