Chapter 16: Quarrel

  Xie San gazed at He Huan, a smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were devoid of any warmth. He Huan had made up his mind not to admit that he had ever intentionally harmed him in the Shen family.

  In the silent standoff, He Huan's fear in her heart slowly dissipated. Outside Jizhou City, he threatened her with his words, but in fact, it was him who saved her. In the backyard of the Shen family, he did not make things difficult for her, and it seemed that he was just asking for directions, but it was also a fact that he went to great lengths to infiltrate the Shen family. Was he an enemy of the Shen family?

  This guess made He Huan's heart secretly shocked. As far as she knew, Shen Jinglin didn't have any enemies, but the Shen family was big and powerful, and right and wrong were always unavoidable.

  He Huan coughed lightly and looked up at Xie San, saying: "You've saved me twice, I remember this kindness in my heart, but as you've seen the situation of my family, I really don't have any silver..."

  "You don't have any money, but the Shen family does. Aren't you used to putting on a show in front of Shen Jinglun to win sympathy?"

  "The Shen family is indeed wealthy and noble, but my sister's husband has never liked me." He Huan stated calmly, her face expressionless, but her heart was already burning with anxiety, her hands unconsciously clenched into fists. In these days, she had only come into contact with Shen Jinglu once, just over an hour ago. Xie San said so, obviously knowing about this matter. After the last incident, he still dared to infiltrate the Shen family, what was his grand plan that made him willing to take such a great risk?

  Xie San seemed to be completely unaware that he had misspoken, and he rudely threatened: "No matter what method you use, in short, I risked my life to save you, 400 taels is what I deserve..."

  "It's unreasonable for you to say so. I've never asked you to save me, it's clearly you who is interfering in other people's business..."

  "Am I meddling in other people's business?" Xie San grasped He Huan's collar, then suddenly let go of her. "Heh heh," he chuckled, lowering his head to whisper in her ear: "Believe it or not, I can make sure you'll never marry Shen Jinglun."

  "I believe!" He Huan nodded, "Then do you believe that if you force me to be anxious, I can immediately make you squat in a big prison!" She hinted at looking around, and vaguely saw someone's shadow swaying at the end of the alley.

  Xie San followed her gaze, suddenly released her, took a big step back, and glared at her with his head lowered.

  He secretly felt a sense of unease upon seeing this. Since he knew she wanted to marry Shen Jinglun, he should have understood that unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn't choose mutual destruction.

  In the brief silence, He Jing suddenly stood at the gate of the He family and shouted loudly: "You can't bully my sister!" He quickly ran to the middle of the two people, his small body blocking in front of He Huan. Behind him, Tao's mother hesitated for a moment, then retreated back into the doorway.

  Xie San lowered his head and glanced at He Jing, sneering: "What's the big deal if I bullied him?" He grabbed He Jing's collar and threw him to the side.

  Seeing her brother stumble and fall to the ground, He Huan hastily helped him up and held him in her arms. She gritted her teeth, hating it to the extreme, but she didn't dare shout loudly, nor did she dare report to the authorities. She shielded He Jing behind her and said to Xie San word by word: "You're not doing this for the silver at all. What's your real purpose?"

  "Who says I'm not doing it for the silver? As the saying goes, a man dies for wealth, a bird dies for food. You married into the Shen family to get ahead, and yet you repay my kindness by giving me away as a favor to him..."

  "I didn't! It was you who carelessly got discovered by one of the Shen family's servants and almost implicated me!"

  He Jing looked at He Huan, then glanced at Xie San. He tried to block He Huan's way, but was firmly pressed against the shoulder by He Huan. Unable to move, he could only shout loudly: "If you don't leave now, I...I'll go report to the authorities, I'm a man, I'm the head of the household!"

  Xie San let out a burst of laughter and ignored him, only saying to He Huan: "Hand over the silver, otherwise we won't be done!"

  As the sky grew darker, some neighbors had already opened their doors to curiously look out. He Huan softened his tone and said: "At least give me some time to raise the silver..."

  "Alright, I'll give you three days. If I don't get the silver in three days, hehe." He sneered and turned to leave.

  He Huan didn't expect him to leave so quickly. She pulled He Jing into the house, her eyes scanning over Tao Shi and Cao Shi standing by the door, and hastily walked towards the west wing. At this moment, there was only one thought in her mind: no matter whether Xie San had a feud with the Shen family or not, if he could hide in the Shen family, it meant others could too. Their son was still so young, she must remind Shen Jinglun.

  Back in her own room, He Huan sat at her desk and wrote hastily, claiming that when she left the Shen residence, she inadvertently saw the little thief who had asked her for directions a few days ago walking out of the side door of the Shen residence. She put the letter in an envelope, but then hesitated again. Any letters that could appear on Shen Jinglun's desk had undergone strict screening, and she had personally instructed the housekeeper to burn any invitations or letters sent by the He family, whether they were for her or Shen Jinglun, without reporting them.

  "I was too impulsive. Even if the letter had been delivered to his hands smoothly, how could I have forgotten that he dislikes private transactions the most?" He Huan sighed silently and lit the letter paper, throwing it into the fire basin. Watching the fluttering flames, she told herself that she should continue to trust Shen Jinglu as before, but then she couldn't help but worry again - since she had already brought Xie San in front of Shen Jinglu, why hadn't he been caught?

  "No way!" He Huan suddenly stood up, muttering to herself: "Regardless of whether Xie San's intentions are good or bad, he went to great lengths to infiltrate the Shen family, there must be an ulterior motive... can't leave any future troubles..." She shook her head, involuntarily furrowing her brow.

  "No, I still have to inform him." He Huan returned to his desk again.

  "Who told you?" Tao stood at the door of the house, looked at He Huan, and then glanced at the brazier on the ground.

  "Nothing." He Huan shook her head, "What does Auntie want with me?"

  Mrs. Tao entered the house worriedly and asked: "Huan'er, who was that person just now? Why was he waiting for you at the door?"

  "Great Aunt, he's just a rascal, I'll take care of this."

  "Huan'er, your paternal aunt has been buried and at peace. Why don't we let Zhang Bo bring your maternal grandmother back home tomorrow? From now on, we will shut our doors tight..."

  "Great Aunt, I'll say it one last time, my mind is made up. This lifetime, I will only marry Mr. Shen. It's not just for myself, but also for the sake of Jingdi's future..."

  "Elder sister, I will study hard and take the imperial examination to achieve success. I don't need you to sacrifice for me..."

  "Third brother, who taught you to hide outside and eavesdrop?" He Huan glanced at Tao Shi. Tao Shi immediately looked down with a guilty conscience.

  He Jing hastily walked up to He Huan and grabbed her hand, saying: "Big sister, this matter has nothing to do with mother, it was I who asked mother about it, and she only told me because of that, don't blame mother."

  He Huan wrested his hand free from He Jing's grasp and asked seriously: "Jing-di, I hear you saying that Big Sister did something wrong?"

  He Jing didn't nod, but his eyes were filled with disapproval. He said in a low voice, "I don't like others talking about my sister behind her back, saying you...saying you..." His voice was barely audible.

  He Huan knew that these things must have been said by Tao Shi to He Jing, so she gave her a sideways glance and asked He Jing: "Then what do you think the eldest sister should do?"

  He Jing was still a child, he looked up and said hastily: "Big sister, you are the best, we just need to stay at home and read books like mother said, others will naturally know your goodness and won't gossip anymore."

  "If the eldest sister stays at home to read and write, then I ask you, who will go out to make a living and support the family? And what about the eldest sister's marriage? Are we waiting for matchmakers to come to our door, see who offers more betrothal gifts, and sell herself off so that all of you can continue to idle away?"

  "Huan'er, how could you say such things to Jing'er!"

  "Eldest maternal aunt, did I say anything wrong?" He Huan's eyes stared intensely at Tao Shi.

  Tao Shi hastily shook her head, but couldn't think of a rebuttal. He Jing looked at Tao Shi, then at He Huan, and became somewhat perplexed. He Huan squatted down, grasping He Jing's shoulders and saying: "There's nothing in this world that will fall from the sky, if you want something, you have to strive for it with effort. Eldest sister doesn't want to be sold by others, yet still has to count silver for someone else, so she can only work twice as hard..."

  "But... " He Jing turned his head to look at Tao Shi, "Mother said that if Big Sister goes out and shows her face, she'll only harm herself... The reason why that person just now looked down on Big Sister is because..."

  "Huan'er, Auntie knows you won't listen to me, I asked Jing'er to persuade you, all for the sake of your siblings!"

  "Eldest maternal aunt, you're not doing this for us, but for your own face. You feel that the gossip and rumors outside are making you uncomfortable, losing face..."

  "Huan'er, how can you think like this!" Mrs. Tao covered her face and burst into tears.

  He Huan held back He Jing, who was about to go forward and comfort Tao Shi, and said seriously: "Big sister doesn't want to be like before, crying every day, so she wants to strive for a better life, just like you studying hard, wanting to become the top scholar, it's all for your own future..."

  "How can this be?" Mrs. Tao shrieked, "You don't know how ugly the people outside are talking..."

  "How can it be compared?" He Huan stood up and stared at the Tao family, "Does Auntie think that I should spend my whole life for a few words from idle people, just to be considered a lady of the house, worthy of being called 'Miss He'?"

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