Xiao Heng and Huang Yu heard the news that the old Bai family had returned to the city with their son. The couple exchanged glances. So, why did Master Bai buy so much salt and sugar for them?
Upon further investigation, it turned out that the Bai parents' departure was sudden. They hadn't originally planned to come along. However, news arrived that they had an emergency, which prompted them to leave.
All the items Master Bai had purchased were distributed to the neighbors. Huang Yu, hearing this, had heard that Master Bai was a capable and handsome young man. Not only that, but he also gave his belongings to the neighbors.
Huang Yu simply nodded. Then, seeing her husband enter the house and come out with Xiao Xun, Huang Yu wiped her hands and ran over to them.
"Where are you guys going?"
Xiao Heng smiled, "We're going to the county town for a while. There's a lot of stuff out of stock. It's still early, so we can take a trip to the county town."
Huang Yu nodded. "You guys can't possibly walk, right? The town is quite far away. It's at least an hour by oxcart."
Xiao Heng smiled. "I was planning to rent Lan's oxcart. It just so happens that he's not using it."
Huang Yu nodded. "Okay. Be careful on the road. Don't take too long."
"Okay."
After exchanging greetings, Xiao Heng and Xiao Xun headed for the Lan family home.
_____
"Ahhhhh.."
Crash.
The sound of a vase being thrown to the ground. The servants were a little frightened; their mistress was acting like this again. The mistress looked around at the people around her. She immediately smiled kindly, "Where's your Young Master? Quickly bring my son here. My beloved son!"
Seeing the change in her expression, almost all the servants were terrified. Their mistress had become a madwoman again. The Young Master she was referring to was her son who died two years ago from an illness.
The doctor said he overexerted himself studying and eventually couldn't stand it. The doctor also delayed treatment. The mistress was a stubborn person.
She pushed her son to be perfect. Then she kept pushing him to study even harder. Finally, he couldn't bear it and died from the stress.
His blood vessels burst, and he died. By the time the doctor explained the illness and his death, the mistress had gone insane. She would sometimes hallucinate that her son was still alive.
When the servant saw the mistress like this again, she immediately called the Grand Master. Only the Grand Master could calm her down. They didn't dare do so.
The man who was summoned was a young man. He was about 30 years old. He was handsome and tall. When he saw his wife in disarray and deranged, he could hardly stand it any longer.
The man, who was looking at her husband, immediately reached out his hand. "Husband, the servants are so rude. They won't call my beloved son. I want to see my beloved son."
The man sighed and approached. He smoothed out the hair he had messed up. "I already told you, our son has gone to take the exam. He has to study hard to pass the college entrance exam. Look at you, if your son finds you like this, how would that be?"
The man looked at her husband and smiled, "Ah. I can't be like this. I have to perform better in front of my son. I'm sure, with Xun Er's abilities, she can definitely pass the exam. My son is a genius. When will he return?"
The man smiled, "I'll write him a letter. If there's a holiday, he'll definitely come back."
The man stared at her husband and gritted his teeth. "If he fails, take him home. I don't need my son to graduate. I want him back home."
The man suddenly became gloomy. This was just one of his excuses, to calm his wife. How could someone who was already dead return?
The man wiped his face. "Okay. I'll send him a letter!"
The ger immediately laughed, and the man smiled, "Okay. Let the maid help you clean up. I'll send a letter to your son."
"Okay." This time, the ger's face broke into a bright smile. She looked very beautiful even with her messy hair.
The man sighed softly. He stroked his wife's face and asked the servant to help her clean up. The servant nodded and gently asked the mistress to go with her.
They even said that the Young Master would definitely return. Hearing this, the mistress was immediately happy. The man narrowed his eyes. He shook out his clothes and returned to his work yard.
He returned with his loyal servant. The servant was already familiar with this feeling. He looked at his master. "Master, what should we do?"
"Pick anyone who closely resembles my son. Even if the resemblance is only 70%, it doesn't matter. As long as there's a resemblance, find them wherever you can and bring them home. Let them play the role of the Young Master of the Chun Family," the man, Chun Yanzi, said.
The loyal servant nodded. At first, he had thought this way and advised his master. But his master said that this was impossible. He didn't want to bring a strange child into his family.
He thought his wife would face the reality of losing her son. But as the days went by, his wife became more and more like this. She even destroyed everything in his room.
The servant smiled, "Then, Sir. I'll go and find some information. I'll try to find someone who looks like Young Master."
Chun Yanzi nodded. "Go."
The servant left, and not long after, a tiny figure appeared. She was only three years old this year. As soon as Chun Yanzi glanced at her, she immediately smiled and waved.
"Yi Er, come here!!"
This was their little Ger. A year after his birth, his first son died, and his father went insane. He was forced to be raised by a wet nurse and servants. He even often visited his grandfather and grandfather's courtyard.
The little Ger was slightly chubby and very cute. His face was round, and his eyes were very large with double eyelids. He looked at his father with bright eyes and a happy expression, then he ran on his chubby little legs.
"Daddy, Daddy. Yi Er misses Daddy."
Chun Yanzi picked up his little Ger and placed him on her lap. "Yi Er misses Daddy? Sorry, Daddy didn't visit you today."
Little Yi Er pouted, puffing out his face, making it even rounder. "Daddy, did Daddy have a tantrum again?"
Chun Yanzi pinched his cheek. "How did Yi Er know about it?"
"All the servants in the hall are talking about it." His face became even more sullen, and he was on the verge of tears.
Chun Yanzi looked at his Ger's sullen face, almost crying. She stroked his soft, steamed bun-like cheek. She turned her son to face her.
She smiled gently, "Tell Father! Who did it?"
"It was the wicked old man!"
"What about his appearance?" Chun Yanzi asked slowly and patiently. Chun Meiyi looked at her father and answered with a sad face. "He has a mole on his lower lip and also at the corner of his eye."
Chun Yanzi immediately recognized who it was. He was an old servant who had been bought by the Chun family. She didn't expect the old man to speak like that. It was unreasonable to talk about their mistress when they were just servants.
"Yi Er can tell Daddy, what did they say?"
"They said Daddy went crazy again and even destroyed things in the yard. He even forgot about Yi Er. Daddy isn't bad, he's just sick now. Yi Er will see Daddy when Daddy gets well again," Yi Er said with a tearful face.
Her little bun was crying, and Chun Yanzi was furious. She had to throw this servant out. Her little bun was just a child who didn't know anything. How dare they talk about their mistress's bad behavior in front of her little bun?
"Little Baozi, Daddy, don't cry. Daddy will chase that bad servant away." Chun Yanzi pinched his chubby face and wiped away the remaining tears. "Does Baozi love Daddy?"
Chun Meiyi nodded. Although she didn't see her Daddy often, she still loved her Daddy. Because he was her Daddy. Her Grandpa and Grandpa Gernya said that her Daddy was still sick, so she couldn't see him every day. If her Daddy got better, she would definitely see him every day.
Seeing her Gernya's answer, she smiled. "Okay. Baozi will also see Brother in the future. By then, Daddy will be healthy again."
Baozi and Chun Meiyi nodded. "Okay, Daddy."
Chun Yanzi led Chun Meiyi to her parents' courtyard. Her parents welcomed her. Then she discussed her idea with them. The parents were speechless.
They simply agreed with their son's idea. At least their daughter-in-law might regain her senses with the return of this fake son.
______
On the ox cart.
"Father, I heard that Young Master Bai returned to the city," Xiao Xun asked. Xiao Heng nodded his head. "That's right. The old Bai family also came with him. It seems they had urgent business, so they were in a hurry to leave."
Xiao Xun nodded his head. "I thought so too."
Xiao Heng and Xiao Xun made casual conversation and eventually arrived at the county town. They headed to the place where Xiao Heng always shopped. Coincidentally, the shop owner's son had once been helped by Xiao Xun, so he always remembered Xiao Heng's kindness.
He didn't even take any profit when Xiao Heng shopped. So Xiao Heng made a lot of profit when he sold it in the village. As soon as Xiao Heng entered the shop, a young man greeted him.
"Brother Xiao, you're earlier than usual."
Xiao Heng smiled, "I was missing a lot of items in the shop. I came back early."
The shop owner's son is Tong Xiao. This general store belongs to his family. Tong Xiao is now the shop owner. His father retired when his son could manage the shop.
Because of Xiao Heng's kindness, Tong Xiao remembered him to this day. "Brother Xiao, just tell me what you need, and I'll get it ready right away!"
"It's mainly sugar and salt. I need 10 catties of each."
When Tong Xiao heard Xiao Heng's words, she was a little surprised. "Brother Xiao, isn't this more than yesterday? Are the sales better?"
Xiao Heng nodded. "Yes, it's better now."
Tong Xiao nodded. "Sugar is 30 cents, fine salt is 25 cents. A total of 550 cents."
Xiao Heng furrowed his brows. "Brother Tong, why have the prices remained the same since I opened the grocery store? Aren't you taking advantage?"
Tong Xiao smiled, "Brother Xiao, how could I take such a small profit from my lifesaver? Brother Xiao, a few cents can't replace my life. To this day, I'm still grateful that Brother Xiao helped me before."
Xiao Heng felt a little embarrassed. "It was just a small favor. You remember it even now."
Tong Xiao waved his hand. "Brother Xiao, what else do you want to buy? If you buy more, I'll give you a discount."
Xiao Heng waved his hand. "You already gave me a base price and want to give me a discount. This isn't necessary!" Xiao Heng glanced at the sugar candy and candied fruit and pointed at them. "I need sugar candy and candied fruit. I need the usual. Oh no, add 2 catties of each."
"Okay, Brother Xiao." Tong Xiao got busy, quickly taking all of Xiao Heng's orders and weighing them. Then, Tong Xiao piled them together. When Xiao Heng saw the polished rice, he asked for 20 catties of polished rice. Tong Xiao helped Xiao Heng carry the goods to the ox cart.
There, Xiao Heng saw that Xiao Xun was talking to someone dressed as a servant, and despite that, he was still dressed in finery. This servant must have had a high status.
____
Xiao Xun said he would guard the ox cart, so Xiao Heng went shopping. Afraid that someone might try to steal their ox cart, Xiao Xun sat at the wheel and held the rope.
Not long after, a rather luxurious carriage passed by and suddenly stopped. Xiao Xun furrowed his brows. Seeing that a large grocery store was next to them, Xiao Xun didn't think much of it. Until the man finally got out of the carriage.
Judging by his appearance, he should be a servant. However, the material of his clothes was very fine. Xiao Xun furrowed his brows even more when the servant walked towards him instead of the grocery store.
The servant came right up to Xiao Xun. "Hey, what's your name?"
Xiao Xun stared at him for a moment and then ignored him. He turned his head away as if the servant had nothing to do with him. The servant glanced at his cheap clothes and the ox cart he was looking at. He must have come from a poor family in the village.
If he had asked to be the Young Master of a wealthy family, this kid definitely wouldn't have refused. "Hey, I'm talking to you. By the way, are you interested in becoming the Young Master of a wealthy family in this city?"
Xiao Xun stared at him. Then, he said coldly, "No!!"