The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 723 - 722: Do I look like a gullible fool?

Chapter 723: Chapter 722: Do I look like a gullible fool?

Gu Zikai’s face, usually so gentle and composed, suddenly became stiff. "My place is too small, just enough for a courtyard entrance, and there’s already a family of servants living there. I really can’t make room for you. Why don’t you stay at the inn for a few days? I’ll have someone help you look for a house to buy nearby?"

Ninth Master Lee waved his hand magnanimously, "That’s nothing, I don’t mind squeezing into a room with you. As for my Zhao Cai, he’s not picky at all and can squeeze in with your Lang Hao. The rest can leave two behind, just any room to sleep will do."

Gu Zikai could no longer maintain the smile on his face, and Lang Hao behind him couldn’t help but burst out, "Ninth Young Master, my master has the village examinations coming up in just a few months. He studies day and night, with the dedication of ’tying his hair to the beam and piercing his thigh with an awl’, and he can’t stand any disturbance. With so many people coming and going around you, if it disturbs my master’s studies, can you afford it?"

Ninth Master Lee’s face darkened, and he was actually blocked by a servant, which really displeased him.

But no matter how proud he was, after all, he had grown up with Gu Zikai since they were children. Now it was a critical moment for Gu Zikai; could he really ignore his needs and forcibly stay in the courtyard he had rented?

Even if he dared, the Gu Family’s servants would likely send word to his own father’s ears in no time, and by then, it was likely he wouldn’t even be able to stay in Jing County anymore.

Thinking this, Ninth Master Lee reluctantly said, "Forget it, I don’t fancy your little shabby courtyard anyway!"

He turned away, only to meet Wang Yongzhu’s seemingly smiling eyes, and suddenly remembered what he had just said.

Did he say little shabby courtyard?

That little shabby courtyard belonged to Wang Yongzhu!

Ninth Master Lee immediately felt uncomfortable all over and wanted to say a few words of apology, but he was already feeling suffocated with frustration. Besides, to apologize in front of Gu Zikai, this hypocritical gentlemen? Wouldn’t he be laughed at by Gu Zikai for the rest of his life?

Grinding his teeth, Ninth Master Lee snorted, "Zhao Cai, let’s go!" and strode off.

The young servants and guards noisily followed behind in a crowd.

Shopkeeper Wu gave Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin an apologetic look, then patted Song Chongjin on the shoulder, "Let’s get together another day!" With that, he hurriedly followed after them.

Once Ninth Master Lee and his entourage had left, the crowd around them also dispersed.

Song Chongjin called to Old Granny Zhang, ready to head home. But as he was about to leave, a figure suddenly leaped out, blocking his way, "Auntie, don’t go!"

Everyone stopped, and it turned out to be the maid who had sold herself to bury her father.

With tears in her eyes, the maid looked pitifully at Old Granny Zhang, "Auntie, please take pity on me, take me back with you!" While speaking, she anxiously glanced around.

Following her gaze, everyone looked over to see several thugs sitting at a teahouse not far away, looking in this direction.

"Auntie, please help me! I’m all alone now, and I still have the silver that young master just gave me. I’m afraid that as soon as I’m alone, the silver will be gone, and I won’t even be able to preserve my own innocence! Auntie, sister, ’Heaven has mercy on the living’, please save me, save me—"

Wang Yongzhu did take an extra look at the maid, not realizing that she was actually quite clever.

Knowing that it was terrifying for a lone, weak girl to be carrying a large sum of money without any support, she astutely sought out both herself and Old Granny Zhang after Ninth Young Master refused her.

Having a calculating mind and being clever isn’t a bad thing, as long as it doesn’t harm others, there isn’t anything to criticize.

However, if such cunning is used to harm others, that’s when one must be cautious.

Therefore, she merely asked indifferently, "We are neither relatives nor friends, why should we save you?"

The maid was taken aback for a moment before she timidly replied, "You are students of Changqing Academy and there are many of you. I thought those people wouldn’t dare to trouble you—"

Lang Hao, who was standing by, heard this and became furious, "You girl, you have a wicked heart! Aren’t you dragging us into this? Have you not seen that both Young Master Song and my master are scholars? And there is Lady Wang and the old lady, all of whom are women. Which one among us is capable of protecting you? We bear no grudges against you. The old lady even kindly warned you earlier, so why are you repaying kindness with ingratitude?"

The maid also became anxious, "I don’t want to hurt you! I just have no other way out! I beg you to take me with you, just to hide for a while, help me buy a coffin tomorrow to bury my father, and I will leave right away, I won’t be a burden to you! Really, I’m begging you! Several Scholar Masters, surely you won’t just stand by and watch a helpless girl being bullied, right?"

By the end, she gritted her teeth and took out the two pieces of silver that Ninth Young Master had given her, "I don’t want the silver, this silver is for you! Just help me buy a coffin for my father and bury him, that’s all. The rest of the silver is yours! I have no other requests, just asking you to take me in as a maid in exchange for this silver, just to have a meal to eat is enough! I will remember your great kindness and debt for my whole life, ready to work like an ox or a horse in return! I just beg for your help, don’t let me fall into the hands of those evildoers!"

The crowd looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Old Granny Zhang couldn’t hold back, "Tell me girl, do I look like a big fool to you?"

The maid’s outstretched hand paused suddenly, turning to look at Old Granny Zhang.

"It seems that one cannot easily do good deeds! I, a cranky old woman, rarely being kind-hearted, just pitied you, a young girl almost the same age as my own daughter, with no father and no relatives."

"I was just being nice with one more word, and you take me for one of those doting old women with soft hearts easy to manipulate? Thinking by saying a couple of nice things, then crying how pitiful you are, and offering silver, that I’ll be foolish enough to fall for your ruse and take you back home?"

"After getting home, you’ll cry again about how pitiful you are, stubbornly refusing to leave. Then you’ll try even harder to please me, and then, winning my sympathy, I lose my mind and take you in as my adopted daughter, treating you even better than my own. And in the future provide you with a dowry and find you a suitable family to marry into?"

The girl’s face turned bright red, she wanted to say something, but her mouth opened and no words came out.

Old Granny Zhang got more excited, pushing aside Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu who were trying to support her, placing her hands on her hips, and almost leaping up, "Let me tell you! You got the wrong idea! I’ve crossed more bridges than you’ve walked any roads in your lifetime, and you think you can fool me with your little tricks?"

"What do you take yourself for? Overhearing a bit of opera by some countryside troupe and now you’ve lost all sense of reality? Can’t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? Why should I, Old Granny Zhang, care for an unrelated, nameless girl from who knows which corner rather than my own daughter? Is it because you have a big face?"

"A girl who looks to be decent enough, instead of acting proper, stoops low enough to think of such disgraceful schemes!"