Chapter 47: A Cunning Plan That Benefits Both Sidesl

After giving the meat to her elder sister, Lin Ruanruan felt much more relieved.

Since their mother couldn't eat it, it was better to give it to Lin RouRou. At least Lin RouRou genuinely cared for her.

Holding the pair of silver earrings that Lin RouRou had forced upon her, Lin Ruanruan looked back with every step.

These earrings were given to Lin RouRou by her husband when she got married.

Their family wasn't well-off, so for her brother-in-law to spend money on jewelry showed that he was a considerate man.

These earrings held special meaning for Lin RouRou. Although she had to accept them, Lin Ruanruan did not plan to use them.

"Your elder sister treats you very well."

Glancing at the not-so-high-quality silver earrings, Bai Cheng'an's voice was deep and resonant.

Lin Ruanruan nodded and softly said, "Mm."

She was willing to believe that her parents actually cared for her, but because of the alleged child in Yanyan's belly, they feared she might do something reckless in a fit of emotion.

Perhaps they had their flaws, but for the familial love she never received in her previous life, Lin Ruanruan treasured it deeply.

Before parting with Lin RouRou, Lin Ruanruan had already asked her to find an opportunity to consult a doctor.

Yanyan's lie needed to be exposed as soon as possible.

Since Bai Cheng'an had to rush to Linyang, he walked especially fast.

"We'll buy a horse later to try to reach Linyang sooner."

As Bai Cheng'an hurried along, he didn't forget to look back to check on Lin Ruanruan's pace.

If he noticed she was too tired to keep up, he would quietly slow down.

"Can...can you ride a horse?" Lin Ruanruan asked breathlessly in a childlike voice.

"Mm," Bai Cheng'an replied softly.

How strange, a hunter from the mountains who could ride a horse?

By the time they hurried to the town, it was already afternoon. Thinking about the long journey still ahead to Linyang, Lin Ruanruan suddenly regretted having him accompany her back to Liushu Village today.

If this delayed his work, it could potentially hinder his future.

"Rest here for a bit while I check the post station for any horses for sale."

Seeing that she was sweating from the journey, Bai Cheng'an suggested.

Lin Ruanruan nodded quickly, as she was indeed tired.

Bai Cheng'an's pace was significantly faster than hers. Rather than slowing him down with her exhaustion, it was better to let this rough man buy a horse and come back for her.

"Wait here and don't wander off," he said, looking at her deeply, his tone filled with concern.

The short beard on his face didn't quite match his current meticulousness.

But Lin Ruanruan was fond of this blend of roughness and sensitivity.

Watching him walk away, Lin Ruanruan leaned against a wall and closed her eyes to rest.

She hadn't slept well the previous night, busy with her mischief, and had walked a long way during the day. She was utterly exhausted.

Fortunately, this was a quiet alley, and she didn't have to worry about her appearance.

Too tired, she initially planned to rest her eyes but ended up drifting off.

Suddenly, a commotion jolted her awake.

"It's all because of your mother that she was so angry she died! You beast, get out of my sight!"

The loud shouting, mixed with the sound of things being thrown, made Lin Ruanruan open her eyes wide in surprise.

Looking ahead in confusion, Lin Ruanruan quickly stood up from the wall.

"Mother spent all our money to send you to a private school, saying you were destined to be a prime minister. Now look at you, failing the exams and losing your fiancée. Now that Mother is dead because of you, you think you can just give a few copper coins to settle it?"

More violent sounds followed, and Lin Ruanruan silently counted how many bowls and plates had been broken.

"Mother spent so much on you, yet..."

"...but without doing anything, I could have saved enough for a very respectable funeral for myself."

The cursing grew louder, and Lin Ruanruan quietly stepped back to hide.

Heaven knows, she didn't mean to eavesdrop; it was just a coincidence.

After the man finished his rant, a wooden door not far from where Lin Ruanruan was resting was pulled open.

Two people emerged, pushing and shoving. One was dressed in a long robe, holding an old folding fan. The other wore rough cloth clothes, clearly a laborer.

Lin Ruanruan recognized the man in the long robe as the impoverished scholar who had emptied his pockets to buy food from her a few days ago.

She knew he was down on his luck but hadn't expected him to be this destitute.

"If you don't have two taels of silver to properly bury Mother today, the Qin family will no longer acknowledge you, Qin Zhen."

The man pushed the scholar out of the courtyard with a sneer, shoving him so hard that the scholar fell to the ground.

As the scholar struggled to get up and tried to rush back inside, the man slammed the door shut.

Luckily, the scholar stopped just in time, or he would have crashed into the door.

"Brother! Brother, open the door! I have money. Didn't I give you all my money to hire a doctor yesterday?"

Qin Zhen pounded on the wooden door, his voice hoarse with desperation.

In his disheveled state, there was no trace of the scholar's former dignity.

The wooden door remained tightly shut, unmoved by his banging and shouting.

Qin Zhen stepped back, eyes vacant as he looked at the high courtyard wall. Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

Seeing him roll up his sleeves, Lin Ruanruan knew what he was planning.

A scholar thinking he could climb over such a high wall? It was wishful thinking.

But Qin Zhen wasn't considering whether he could scale the wall; he only knew that his mother had just passed away and, as her son, he couldn't stand by and do nothing.

After rolling up his sleeves, he rushed forward, grasping the smooth wall but failing to make any progress.

Lin Ruanruan rubbed her forehead, feeling disappointed. She had hoped the scholar might at least make it halfway up the wall.

He couldn't even manage a step. Where did he get the confidence to think he could climb over it?

Dusting off her clothes, Lin Ruanruan took out some loose silver pieces from her pocket.

These pieces added up to just over two taels.

It was all she had left after redeeming Bai Cheng'an's jade pendant. Smiling mysteriously, she walked towards the scholar.

Bai Cheng'an was willing to take her to Linyang, which was good, but he hadn't promised to keep her with him.

If he found out she had money and abandoned her, she couldn't force herself on him.

But if she had no money, Bai Cheng'an would likely feel obligated to keep her.

Thus, this silver could help the needy scholar and secure her own future—a perfect solution.

"Hey." She called softly and threw the silver pieces towards Qin Zhen from a few steps away.

Qin Zhen, still struggling with the wall, instinctively turned at the sound.

As soon as he turned, the silver pieces hit his head.

"Ow!" He gasped in pain, looking at the person who had thrown the silver.

"Miss?" He exclaimed in surprise when he recognized her.

Lin Ruanruan raised an eyebrow and pointed at the silver on the ground. "Quick... go."

Her sweet smile was like a warm sun in the winter.