Chapter 47: Golden Barrel

  The sun shines obliquely, one tall and one short, one thin and one fat, two shadows of different heights unevenly scrape past on the muddy road.

  The southern window creaked with a strange and eerie tone, like an old duck, "Excuse me, miss, where should the thatched hut be built?"

  Lan Sheng laughed so hard his stomach hurt, leaning against the wall and unable to move forward, it was too ridiculous.

  "You're still smiling! You have the nerve to smile!" The chubby boy, who had been taught to be proud since childhood, suffered a great humiliation today. "Nowadays, only the emperor can ask his father for divination, and high officials may not necessarily get the elder sister to open the six lines of the plum blossom. And you... are truly speechless! The ability of Nan Yue's Mingyue is actually used by you in the toilet! Someone gives you twenty taels of silver, and you can still put it in your sleeve! I've never heard that pointing to a toilet can earn money! Others have the nerve to give, and you also have the nerve to take!"

  "It's not about the money, but rather that he pointed out the source of the illness to his family, which is a thank you gift." Those twenty taels are even more heartless, let alone, through these two days, she discovered that she needs to save private money, and it has to be a large amount. "This ability to calculate has nothing to do with it, but rather finding a reason from a result, which is based on facts."

  "Maokeng money? Maokeng money!" No way, who's going to give him a stick and knock him out?

  "What a big head, filled with crap stones?" She clearly said "not toilet money", why the spitting white foam look?

  Another scam? Nan Yue Ling raised her hands high, "If you keep cheating me back and forth, I'll smash your dinner."

  It smells like something rotten and I don't feel like eating anything. Normally, I would be starving by now.

  "Leather ball, you dare to smash, I'll report it." Lan Sheng counted on his fingers for him to hear, "Drilling dog holes, soaking wine buildings, pretending to be a cheat, and also with Nan Yue. If your mother knew, would your confinement last until next year?"

  Nan Yue Ling immediately hugged again, with a sideways cold look, her nose pointing upwards like a cow's nostrils, and hummed.

  Everyone here dares to frown and hum at her, thinking they can belittle her. In her eyes, it's just humming. The fluctuations of the copper coin-sized breath under other people's noses are none of her business, nor do they need to be. Not even a single hair on her body can be blown away, let alone the vastness of human hearts. She is a very self-centered person, or rather, selfish. But in a strict sense, selfishness and broad-mindedness are not antonyms. Selfishness is relative to selflessness, and broad-mindedness is relative to narrow-mindedness. She is selfish, yet broad-minded, without contradiction.

  Re-entering the dog hole, Lan's mood has changed greatly. When she crawled out, she was a hungry stray dog; when she crawled back, she was a great fairy pointing at the thatched cottage. Of course, this is not the point. The key is, she now knows what to do next.

  Just as he was about to stand up, Nan Yue Ling pulled his sleeve and made a silencing gesture. The thatched roof was layered with green and yellow straw, leaving gaps, so Lan Sheng saw several shadows under the corridor.

  The sun sets in the west, have you finally remembered to pick this morning flower?

  "There's no one by the gate, let's sneak out." Lan Sheng said, crawling forward.

  Nan Yue Ling's eyes widened in surprise again. She dared to do anything embarrassing, and even if she frowned, he was willing to understand it as a helpless move.

  Fortunately, there were trees and grass covering the gate to the corridor, so the two of them slipped out smoothly.

  Nan Yue Ling pushed the wrapped crab onto Lan Sheng's body, "Thanks to you, I won't be able to go to Zui Xian Ju again. Also, from now on, when I come here it's only for going out, don't ever follow me or talk to me, and absolutely do not walk with me."

  Lan Sheng received the package and just opened his mouth.

  Nan Yue suddenly lifted her leg and ran away without looking back, "Don't talk to me!" How humiliating!

  Lan Sheng muttered to himself, "Thinking of twenty taels also has your share, at least make up for the crab money. Indeed, fat people have good temper. Counting one two three, I won't be polite - one two three!" He swallowed it all by himself.

  She walked in from the doorway with a big stride, making footsteps sound, and saw Ning Guanshi hurrying to greet her.

  "Miss, where have you gone? You've been missing for half a day. I'm afraid the mistress will worry, and with the current situation being so sensitive, even the slightest movement can cause a big commotion. Although I was ordered not to spread it outside the courtyard, I'm still anxiously waiting with bated breath, in case something happens to you..." (said with a worried expression).

  Lan Sheng's expression was casual, "I don't know where Ning Bo went. I knelt for a day and night, no one came to pick me up, my head was dizzy and my eyes were blurry, I had to find my way back myself. Entering the courtyard, the tea was from two days ago, spiders were weaving webs on the teapot, there was no sign of rice or flour, calling out loud but no response. If I didn't solve my own food and clothing problems, I would have been in a bad situation by now."

  It's all because of my negligence, Miss has been troubled.

  Lan Sheng said, "You're really something, Old Ginger. You want to say that the madam just returned to the manor and was splashed with water by Second Miss, and then got beaten up again, which is almost as miserable as a servant in this household. So you were busy to the point of exhaustion, without even thinking about me. In that case, I can probably still exchange a few more words with you. But instead, you directly admitted your mistake and won't let me say another word."

  It wasn't that she couldn't say no, but rather her cleverness made him feel much better, and Ning Guanshi smiled and said, "Thank you, Miss Xie."

  These two days have been busy, but he has taken care of the mother and daughter for many years, how could he neglect Lan Sheng. It's just that Madam ordered, can't let people think she is biased towards her own daughter. Mistakes must be punished. The old lady was punished. As a mother, she also had to punish. So, no one picked him up or sent him food, letting Lan Sheng reflect alone. However, these words were destined to rot in his stomach, he would rather take it upon himself than let the relationship between mother and daughter become more distant.

  Seeing the package in Lan Sheng's hand, Ning Guanshi asked, "Miss, where are you back from?" Without asking about the item.

  Lan said frankly, "I went out for dinner and didn't pay attention to the leftovers. I was afraid that there wouldn't be enough for dinner later, so I packed up the remaining dishes."

  Ning Guan's forehead began to sweat. He had forgotten that this young lady was never one to wait patiently for food, but to bring back leftovers for dinner? He knew she didn't mean to complain, yet he felt as if he had been slapped in the face and immediately knelt down.

  Lan Sheng was shocked and quickly went to support him, "Ning Bo, what are you doing?"

  "Please, miss, hand over the package to me. I won't make such a mistake again in the future. Dinner is ready and has been prepared by our chef who made your favorite dishes." Ning Guanshi stretched out his arm, refusing to get up until he was handed the package, being stubbornly obstinate as usual.

  "Ning Bo, this isn't ordinary leftover food." Seeing the old man's face filled with a desire to "destroy all evidence", Lan Sheng couldn't bear it. "It's Drunken Immortal Abode's drunken crab, reheated and even more flavorful, fragrant throughout the garden. Don't believe me? I'll find someone to reheat it for you to smell."

  "I'd rather take care of things than shrink from them. Miss, have you ever had a leftover meal in Yaotown? If not, please let me handle it. If you really want to eat drunken crab, I can have someone buy fresh ones immediately. I've been diligent all these years, but one mistake has caused you so much distress. Alright, if you're still unwilling to forgive and insist on eating leftovers, I'll retire."

  "I won't eat anymore, but I have a small request."

  A very honest expression, a warm and gentle smile, and piercing phoenix eyes - what combination is this?