Miss and farmhand

Huang Chu introduced Zhu Xiaoxu and Luo San.

She specifically introduced him to Luo San: "Brother Zhu is already a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), but he fell ill in the previous examination and failed. He also did not want to be selected as an official, so he came back to continue studying with his father and will take the exam again in the next examination."

Luo San looked at Zhu Xiaoxu in surprise, "Young Master Zhu is so young, yet he has already passed the imperial examination."

Zhu Xiaoxu laughed and said, "It's all thanks to the teacher's excellent teaching. If I were truly capable, I wouldn't be back here waiting for the exam. It's just that my studies are not thorough enough."

Huang Chu asked, "Why isn't Senior Brother Zhu at the academy?"

"Send two paintings to the gentleman."

"My father is neglecting his duties, and Senior Brother Zhu is even helping him."

"I think it's your teacher who has made you so bold, and now your father, brothers, and elders also criticize you."

"I'm telling the truth. My mother often says that my father is not as good as my eldest uncle, and that he is irresponsible towards you students."

"Alright, alright, the reasoning is all on Junior Sister's side. Then I'll deliver it later. Since you're strolling around the garden, how about I accompany you for a while?"

Zhu Xiaoxu was always a cheerful and likable young man. He came from a well-off family, was the youngest son born to an older man, and was not as favored as his eight older brothers. He was also talented in his studies, and passed the imperial examination at a young age. Even if he failed the first exam, everyone would forgive him, as he had plenty of time to study and take the exam again.

With him by her side, Huang Chu no longer needed to rack her brains to find things to say to Luo San. She could rest for a while, slow down her pace, and fall behind, letting the two of them walk in front.

There's nothing wrong with it. They're not engaged yet.

In her previous life, after her mother passed away, her father was filled with despair and knew that he could not take care of his daughter for long, so he arranged for her to marry into the Zhu family.

But Huang Chu wouldn't deceive himself. Zhu Xiaoxu was such a talented person; ever since he passed the imperial examination, he had been constantly approached by matchmakers. Huang Chu knew who he was trying to marry and why he had never given his consent.

But things are different now.

Could she and Senior Brother Zhu still be together in this life? Huang Chu couldn't help but wonder. Even if Senior Brother Zhu was still willing, it wouldn't work out for her.

She would never admit that she hadn't fallen for him in her past life.

But so many things had happened... She felt really awkward and didn't want to put herself in an embarrassing situation, nor did she want to let Zhu Xiaoxu, who knew nothing about it, down.

Her primary concern was the safety of her family and her own.

She comforted herself, thinking that perhaps it was because she had only been back for a short time and was still adjusting. In a couple more days, she would stop letting her thoughts wander and start living in the present moment.

Lost in thought, Huang Chu didn't realize that she had followed the two people in front of her onto the covered walkway again.

She overheard Zhu Xiaoxu introducing the garden to Luo San: "...Not only are there paintings, but look here, the carved beams are also exquisitely crafted. The master spared no expense in building this garden, and he put his heart and soul into every single detail."

Luo San nodded attentively, listening intently; he naturally held a deep respect for men who had passed the imperial examinations.

When they passed by Master Zhao, Zhu Xiaoxu even stopped to borrow Master Zhao's diagrams. He was quite amiable and would occasionally ask Master Zhao about the specific patterns on the diagrams.

"Junior sister, come and see! It's the magpie on the plum blossom that you like."

Huang Chu forced herself to go over, "...How come you know about this too?"

"What the gentleman said is something that probably few people don't know. He likes to talk about these family matters and urges us to get married as soon as possible."

No one else knew what cryptic conversation the two of them were having. They were actually talking about Huang Xingtong losing his wife's earring and finding it in a magpie's nest, but the others, unaware of this, overheard a wedding and all turned to look.

Huang Chu regretted mentioning this to Zhu Xiaoxu and felt uncomfortable. She glanced at the diagrams quickly and stepped back. Zhu Xiaoxu didn't stop her and continued looking at the diagrams with Luo San.

She had just breathed a sigh of relief when she suddenly heard a cracking sound beside her ear. She jerked her head up and saw the man turn his gaze away from her and continue painting the beam.

Was he looking at her just now?

He heard what Zhu Xiaoxu said, didn't he?

Huang Chu felt she couldn't stay there any longer; she couldn't stand it. So she asked Zhu Xiaoxu for the scroll he had and went to deliver it to her father, asking him to stay with Luo San a little longer, promising to return soon.

Zhu Xiaoxu did not refuse, but looked at her with a hint of confusion before giving her the scroll.

Huang Chu was about to leave, avoiding him, when Master Zhao suddenly called out, "Look at me, I forgot there's a book of illustrations in the box. Apprentice, go and get it for me."

The man stood on the shelf without moving, and Master Zhao urged him, "Hurry up."

He then jumped down from the shelf.

People don't feel it when they're standing on high ground, but once they come down, the tall, thin man standing in the corridor is quite imposing. Even Zhu Xiaoxu couldn't help but glance at him and said, "Master Zhao, your little apprentice has a good physique."

"Don't say that. You're all height and no brains. You're born to do manual labor. Can't you see the young lady is carrying something? Aren't you going to lend a hand?"

The man paused, walked to Huang Chu's side, glanced at her, but didn't reach out. It was as if he hoped Huang Chu would be scared away by him like yesterday and refuse him.

Master Zhao said to Huang Chu, "Young lady, don't tire yourself out. If it's on your way, just let him know."

He had a long bamboo pole in his hand, which had turned yellow from the sun. He used it to point out the direction of his apprentice. At this moment, he struck his apprentice on the back with the pole. The sound of the pole cutting through the air made Huang Chu shiver involuntarily. The man, however, seemed to be used to it and did not feel the pain at all. Only after being struck did he reach out to Huang Chu.

"Look at him, he won't move unless he's smoking, he's like an animal."

Fearing that Master Zhao might hit him again, Huang Chu quickly handed over the scroll in his hand.

"Come with me."

She whispered, no longer looking at the man, and hurried forward.

The footsteps behind her were steady, following her at a distance that was neither too close nor too far. Once outside the room, they consciously stood at a distance, not peeking.

Huang Chu took the scroll from his hand. "You go ahead and do your work. I'll take it inside."

The man didn't say anything, turned around and left.

Huang Chu couldn't help but ask him, "Does your master always beat you?"

The man paused. His back was broad, a figure Huang Chu recognized, but the man in Huang Chu's memory wasn't this thin. So thin that if he weren't naturally large-boned, Huang Chu wouldn't have recognized him based solely on her memories from her previous life.

She frowned and asked again, "Doesn't your master feed you?"

It was as if he snorted. The man didn't answer a single question, paused for a moment, and then left.

Upon entering the side room, Huang Chu saw her mother leaning against the headboard reading a book, and her father sitting beside her writing, all quietly, unlike the couple who had argued the day before.

She gave the painting to her father, then sat down by her mother's bedside to examine it closely.

She wondered if it was just her imagination, but it seemed that nothing had changed since yesterday. Her mother was still only taking the same medicine, and her appetite was just so-so, but her whole body and face seemed to have regained their color, and the deathly aura that had been lingering around her before was gone.

"Is Mom feeling any better today? Why are your eyes so red?"

Shen Xuying felt embarrassed in front of her daughter and didn't want to tell her that she had argued and cried with her husband. She covered her eyes with a booklet and said, "...Perhaps I didn't sleep well, but I feel much better."

"I think so too. Mother looks healthier than she did yesterday morning."

While opening the scroll to look at the painting, Dad muttered, "I told you your mother made herself sick. If she had listened to me earlier, she wouldn't have been sick for so long."

"You still dare to talk back!"

Huang Chu suddenly had a feeling.

She couldn't tell her parents, but as she reflected on it, she became increasingly convinced that she had done the right thing yesterday.

Mother will not be sick anymore; she will get better day by day.

Is this considered changing one's fate?

It was just a small matter. She told her father about a domestic squabble that she couldn't talk about in her past life and thought was unnecessary to tell a man. With just one sentence, she saved her mother's life.

Huang Chu suddenly felt a surge of intense emotions rising in her chest. She hurriedly left the room, squatted down by the wall under the eaves, and tried to suppress her breathing.

She was happy, of course she was happy that her mother was alright, but she also... felt a deep resentment.

She hated herself for what kind of life she had lived in her past life. She had done nothing, not even a single word, and just watched helplessly as her family fell apart.

So, her eventual sale was her karma coming back to haunt her.

Huang Chu covered her mouth and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Now she knows that if she can save her mother, she can save her sister, her father, her family, and herself.

She will protect this family.

After his turbulent emotions subsided, Huang Chu stood up and prepared to go back to find Luo San and Zhu Xiaoxu.

Suddenly, a tall and thin figure flashed before my eyes.

Does he... need her to save him?