Chapter Thirty-One Good People

  Jiang Niang raised her eyes and looked at the old man, saying that smart people are always smart, they will only be at ease when they know what they want to know.

  "Alas, it's still heartless, what difference does it make to me?" she said.

  Sun Guanzhu felt as if he had returned to the time when he listened to his master's lectures, surrounded by clouds and mist.

  Do these two people really know what each other is saying? Or are they just talking past each other?

  She lowered her eyebrows and eyes, picked up the kettle and refilled their water.

  Drink water, drink water.

  "Alas, I'll return the person to you." Old Master Zhang said with a smile, "If you're heartless, I'll take this girl and send another one to you instead."

  Sun Guanzhu was slightly stunned, this is similar to when his wife asked him if he wanted a big name or a small name some time ago.

  Although she still didn't understand what it meant.

  "Alright, you'll send her back then." said Jingniang woodenly.

  Old Man Zhang seemed to have not expected her to answer this way and was somewhat stunned.

  Perhaps he overestimated her, and she wasn't as thoughtful as he had imagined.

  "I'm saying, since you like this girl, I'll return her to you. If you want a new one, I can give you another one too, no need for an exchange. Don't be afraid, I'll go talk to your father, they won't blame you." He said with a smile.

  "Do you think they won't be annoyed?" Cheng Jiaoniang looked at him, "You're already this old, how can you still act like a child?"

  Sun Guan took in a breath of cool air.

  This is really...

  Old Master Zhang looked strange, he had grown up like this, and it was the first time someone said so to him. Moreover, it was a person who could be his own granddaughter.

  But this saying is rough in words but not in reason. Old Man Zhang smiled bitterly.

  Or rather, young people still see black and white clearly. Straightforward words are not avoided, without using hypocritical harmony or self-deception.

  "She indeed, doesn't want to go with you." Jingniang continued, "It was also me who persuaded her, taught her, and told her to say those words to you. I didn't think that she would, out of kindness, harm herself and her parents as well. Since you, old man, think I'm heartless, then send her back home, don't come here again. What are you talking about with your strange words? We, the pitiful ones, have become hateful people in your eyes. I originally thought that she would be better off following you, but it seems that's not the case either."

  The woman spoke in a dull and stupid manner. After finishing this long passage, she stiffened her face and didn't move anymore.

  If you stand close enough, you can see her face trembling.

  So tired, so tired, so painful, so painful.

  The hands in the wide sleeves were clenched tightly together.

  Old Man Zhang was somewhat embarrassed.

  The girl in front of him is only in her teens, still a child, and probably just recovering from an illness or not fully recovered yet. What's the point of being angry with a child?

  This girl is actually a maid of the Cheng family, and her life and death are not in her own hands. If her father wants to give her away, what can she do as his daughter? Even if this child wants to take advantage of the situation to get a better maid, or replace her with one who is not controlled by the Cheng family, what's wrong with that?

  Making the best of a bad bargain, seeking the best outcome in an unavoidable end, this is originally a kind of helplessness, how can there be any ruthlessness.

  It's really true that the older you get, the more cunning you become.

  "Yes, I understand, madam. Don't worry, I will definitely treat this young girl well and not betray the true feelings between us." He said with a composed expression.

  Jiang Yao still had a sullen face and remained silent.

  Indeed, she has a childish temperament. This woman was raised in a Taoist temple since childhood and did not interact with worldly people, so her thoughts are as pure and straightforward as an infant's.

  Unhappiness is unhappiness.

  Jiang Yao's face was stern and unhappy, but Old Man Zhang became even more delighted, saying a few more kind words, which greatly alleviated Jiang Yao's expression.

  "And also, some books." said Jingniang Cheng.

  Mr. Zhang was overjoyed, just as if someone had given him a book.

  "Alright, alright, I'll pick some good stories and bring them to you," he said.

  With a few parts of naughty children's happy complacency.

  "So, I say, old man you are a good person, will treat Pan Qie well, and also me." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  Having received this praise, Old Man Zhang was even more delighted.

  "Treats us better than anyone else." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  Her voice was wooden and her face was calm, but this sentence sounded in Zhang Lao Tai Ye's ears, feeling his heart tremble.

  Abandoned since childhood, shunned by everyone due to unknown reasons. The only ones who loved and cared for him, his mother and grandmother, had passed away. After traveling thousands of miles back home, he was again abandoned at a Taoist temple.

  Having relatives is like having none, feeling lonely and isolated. If she were still foolish and ignorant, it wouldn't be so painful. What's more painful is that she knows all this in her heart and can feel it too.

  It's really...

  Mr. Zhang felt a trembling pain in his heart and some unbearable sourness at the bottom of his eyes.

  "Do you want to go home?" he asked, unable to help himself.

  "This is my home," said Jingniang, "I don't want that one."

  Poor child! Mr. Zhang's heart sank, and he immediately became angry.

  What kind of parents can do such things!

  Still reading books! Still wanting to be parents and officials! Can't even take good care of their own children, how can they talk about treating the common people as their relatives?

  Old Man Zhang's face looked increasingly unpleasant.

  "Alright, you like it here, then stay here. That home, don't go if you don't want to. I'll send a good girl over for you to play with," he said.

  Success!

  Watching this old man come with eyes full of suspicion and doubt, little by little faded away, until replaced by anger and injustice.

  A clever person is a clever person, and they won't be at ease until they see and hear it for themselves.

  Jiang Yao's mouth curved slightly as she bowed her head in gratitude.

  Watching the old man come down the mountain, the anxious old servant and the maid both came forward to greet him.

  "Great grandfather, his daughter..." The servant girl hastily asked, "Isn't she feeling any better?"

  Sad?

  Mr. Zhang's expression was somewhat complex, and as he stepped down the mountain road, his indignation in the Taiping Palace also subsided bit by bit.

  It feels like I'm being led by the nose...

  Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile wryly.

  "Silly girl." He looked at the worried and tearful servant girl, shook his head and said, "Since ancient times, being overly emotional has been the most hurtful to people. You, you are far from your mistress's level."

  The girl didn't understand.

  "I, I am no match for his wife, she is very formidable." She muttered to herself, tears falling down.

  "There's no such thing as being fierce or not fierce, it's all about using things to their fullest potential. That's what makes something truly formidable." The old man said, "Let's go, she doesn't want you, but I do."

  What? Who is she? Who doesn't want me?

  The girl's eyes were brimming with tears.

  "Shall we set off for Beijing immediately, sir?" asked the old servant with a hint of joy. "I'll have someone send word to Young Master first."

  Young master, it's Zhang Chun; although everyone calls him "old master" in public, he is still young master in the eyes of old servants.

  Old Zhang nodded and looked up at the mountain again.

  "In that case, I'll help you once without any emotional attachment." He said, raising his hand to roll up his sleeves, "Wan Ping, bring me pen and ink, I'll write a letter for Zi Ran."

  Zhang Chun, styled Ziran.

  Watching Mr. Zhang slowly disappear on the mountain road, Cheng Jiaoniang stood still, and Sun Guanzhu beside her also quietly stood still.

  She quietly raised her head, looking at the woman's profile in the dappled sunlight. If she had previously suspected something due to Lei Huo's words and had been somewhat fearful, now that she had personally witnessed this scene, what arose in her heart was fear.

  This young girl, with just a few words, didn't cry or make a fuss, and managed to persuade the old man. She not only secured her own future position but also got what she wanted from the servant girl, and on top of that, secretly dealt a blow to her father.

  How did you manage to do this?

  Is it helplessness? Is it heartlessness?

  Only an unfeeling person can remain calm and composed in such a helpless situation.

  "Oh, right, there's something else." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  Sun Guanzhu, who was possessed by a spirit, subconsciously made a clever remark and hastily responded with a "yes".

  "Trouble Fairy Maiden, tomorrow go to the Cheng's house and send these two people back for me. Also, get a young servant for me, that one, the child who was running around here a few days ago."

  Sun Guanzhu hastily responded with a "yes", watching as Cheng Jiaoniang turned around and slowly walked away.

  She couldn't help but let out a sigh and looked down at the mountain.

  Those who left, those who abandoned this woman without a care, did they know that the ones truly abandoned were themselves.

  Those who are about to arrive, those who are anxious and think they will be excluded, can know that they will get good luck.

  After everyone's unanimous agreement, the update rule is set as two updates a day, around 8 o'clock in the morning and evening, hehe~ (....)