After saying a few more words, Cheng Jiao-niang waved and called over Steward Cao.
Steward Cao was much quicker this time. After approaching, he stood with his hands at his sides, waiting silently, not asking any questions.
“Give them some money,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
Without asking anything, Steward Cao took out a purse and handed it over to the group.
Seeing the purse being handed over by Steward Cao, the brothers from Maoyuan Mountain stepped back and waved their hands.
“How can we take your money? It’s too shameful, too shameful,” they said in unison.
“Money is meant to be used, isn’t it?” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “Since you are men of honor, you shouldn’t act like this.”
The sick man stood straight, bowed, and said, “A great favor, words cannot express my gratitude,” as he reached out to take the purse.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded slightly and, with her maid, walked toward the carriage.
The few men, holding the purse, watched as she left, feeling a bit reluctant.
“That lady, she truly is a good person.”
Thousands of words could not express their feelings, so it was all summed up in this sentence.
“A moment in the vast sea, wealth lost can be regained. If we want to repay her kindness, we must stand on our own feet first. Brothers, let’s quickly go and make our own way,” the sick man said with a smile.
“Yes, the benefactor is heading to the capital. When the time comes, we will go find her,” the eldest brother said. “I overheard earlier that these two families are named Chen and Zhou. Although the lady didn’t say anything, if we set our minds to it, we’ll surely find our benefactor.”
Everyone applauded and cheered. They lifted the man on a wooden stretcher and placed him onto their cart.
Just like how they arrived last night, they howled as they departed.
The valley grew much quieter all of a sudden.
The maid withdrew her gaze and helped Cheng Jiao-niang into the carriage.
“The life-saving grace, not knowing the name is no matter, but one must know the appearance, right? Otherwise, wouldn’t that be ingratitude?” The young man’s voice came from behind.
Everyone turned their heads to look. They saw the young man striding forward. As he moved, his face, partially visible beneath his hat, seemed to shimmer in the morning light.
What a scoundrel!
How rude, wanting to see the lady’s face!
The servants around them glared at him in anger.
“There was no kindness to begin with, so how could there be talk of ingratitude?” Cheng Jiao-niang said as she turned, supported by her maid.
“No kindness? Then why did you treat them?” The young man asked, stepping closer, his voice loud.
Cheng Jiao-niang stopped and turned her head.
“At that time, this man was seriously ill and on the verge of death. He only had these few brothers with him. The inn refused to take him in and drove him away. In such a desolate place, with no way out, a man of seven feet could only mourn his fate. Tell me, at that time, how could I help him in his time of peril?” she asked.
“Why?” The young man looked at her and asked.
“Don’t you think that’s rather satisfying?” Cheng Jiao-niang said slowly.
Satisfying, refreshing, how satisfying.
This word, this character, the young man had heard, written, and spoken countless times. Such a bright word, yet at this moment, simply saying it made him feel… the sensation was quite… complicated.
The most troublesome part was that, unfortunately, he understood it. If it were anyone else, like these wild mountain men, it would be fine if they were confused.
Sometimes, being too clever wasn’t a good thing.
The young man lifted his head and looked at the lady who had slightly turned her head as she stepped onto the carriage seat.
His hood had fallen without his noticing, and his face was exposed to the outside.
His eyes were clear and bright, his nose high and straight, his long eyebrows reaching his temples. His expression was unexpectedly cold, with no smile, giving off a chill that didn’t suit his age.
This young master is quite good-looking, the people present couldn’t help but think to themselves.
The young man regained his senses, raised his hand, and put his hood back on, as if he didn’t want others to see his face.
Cheng Jiao-niang turned her head and lifted her skirt to get into the carriage.
“Miss, please wait.” The young man called out.
“Miss, you’ve also saved me.”
Cheng Jiao-niang stopped and turned back.
Seeing Cheng Jiao-niang looking at him, the young man extended his hand and pointed behind him.
“My carriage…” he said.
What’s wrong with the carriage?
Everyone looked over and saw that the young man’s servant was removing a carriage. Last night, the horse had been startled by the wolf pack and had run off, and they hadn’t had a chance to examine it closely. Now, it was clear that one of the carriage wheels was half broken.
“If it weren’t for your reminder, I might have already been surrounded and bitten by the wolves,” the young man said.
The servants beside Cheng Jiao-niang were slightly surprised and couldn’t help but glance at Cheng Jiao-niang, then at the maid.
They remembered that a reminder had indeed been given, but wasn’t it the maid who had done so?
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at him, the corners of her mouth curving slightly.
“Indeed, that is so,” she said.
As soon as her words fell, the young man stepped forward and reached up to lift Cheng Jiao-niang’s hood.
The lady’s face appeared before his eyes.
The young man’s gaze sharpened as he looked at the face in front of him.
The girl wasn’t particularly remarkable…
Her skin was indeed a little fairer than most…
Her eyebrows and features were somewhat more delicate…
But it was those eyes that seemed especially out of place on her face. Combined with her blank expression, it looked somewhat strange.
She seemed almost… not human, dull and lifeless.
Indeed… a sick person?
It was only the work of a moment, and because his movement was so quick, no one reacted in time, nor did they expect the young man to make such a bold move.
After a brief pause, the maid let out a sharp scream, and the servants immediately shouted in reprimand and took action.
“You are being rude!”
The young man’s servants had already stepped in to protect him.
“I don’t care about others,” the young man said with a smile as he stepped back. “I just want to remember the face of my benefactor.”
Compared to the surprise and anger of the people around her, Cheng Jiao-niang’s expression was calm and unperturbed, as her maid, trembling with a mix of fear and anger, carefully placed the hood back on her head.
At this point, Fourth Master Chen had no choice but to step in. With a somewhat stiff and displeased gesture, he signaled for the young man to leave.
“Miss, I was also saved by you. Don’t you think it feels quite satisfying?” The young man smiled as he stepped back, raising his hand slightly.
Cheng Jiao-niang stopped once more and turned around.
“Wait.” She said.
“Young man, please stop.” Although very reluctant, the maid still called out loudly.
The young man halted and looked over.
Cheng Jiao-niang waved at him.
This young lady, even in the face of such impudence, showed no fear, anger, or embarrassment. Instead, she waved for the scoundrel to come forward?
Well, someone who wasn’t even afraid of a wolf pack—how could she be intimidated by such things?
The young man smiled and strode over, ignoring the disapproving looks from those around him. He stood close to Cheng Jiao-niang.
Although he was taller than the lady, since she was standing on the wooden stool and not coming down, there was a sense that she was slightly taller than him, giving her a somewhat commanding presence.
“That first time I saved you—wasn’t anything special,” Cheng Jiao-niang said as she looked at him. She gently lifted her hood, revealing her face. “Saving you for the second time—that’s what feels satisfying.”
The young man let out a soft “oh” and looked at the lady in front of him.
Though they had only exchanged a few words last night from a distance and had just met today, it was strange how there was no sense of unfamiliarity between them.
“So how can that happen?” he asked, slightly lifting his hood, with a faint smile on his lips.
Cheng Jiao-niang leaned forward slightly.
“Last night, the wolves… they were attracted here by human.” she whispered.
The young man’s expression instantly hardened.
“Now, what do you think about that?” Cheng Jiao-niang straightened up and looked at him as she spoke.
