Chapter 801: Chapter 800: Seeking
Zhou Xueli was walking home slowly, carrying a pair of empty bamboo baskets, pondering over the fields he owned. Spring had arrived, and managing the crops by himself was becoming quite overwhelming. As for his wife, she couldnât help out in the fields as she was pregnant with his child.
Even if she could work in the fields, he wouldnât let her. She came from a scholarly family and didnât mind marrying a humble farmer like him. Though he couldnât promise her a life of luxury right away, he would never let her endure the hardships of farm work.
Planting crops now was still manageable. When harvest season arrived, he planned to hire some help to gather the crops. The extra grain could be sold for silver, which would slowly allow him to buy more land, and life would gradually improve.
The more Zhou Xueli thought about his plans, the more he felt they were brilliant. Once his wife gave him a son, they would do whatever it took to send him to school. With such an intelligent wife, their son would certainly be smart too.
Thinking of this, Zhou Xueli couldnât help but laugh aloud.
As he was about to reach home and turned into an alley, he saw a man standing at the house of their neighbor, Zhuziâs Auntie, talking with her.
"Hey, isnât this Zhou Lao Er? You can ask him!" Zhuziâs Auntie called out to Zhou Xueli.
Zhou Xueli came forward, and Zhuziâs Auntie said, "Zhou familyâs second son, this man says heâs looking for your sister. How would I know where your sister moved to?"
"Looking for my sister?" Zhou Xueli looked the bearded man up and down, "Who are you?"
"Are you Lady Zhouâs brother? Iâm nobody significant, just someone who once received Lady Zhouâs kindness. I heard she lived in this village and wanted to repay the favor!" The man smiled and handed over two gift boxes. "Since youâre her brother, giving them to you is the same. But where did Lady Zhou move to? Has she married?"
"She hasnât married," Zhuziâs Auntie exclaimed, eyeing the two gift boxes.
Zhou Xueli didnât take the gift boxes and said, "Our Zhou family has lost touch with my sister, and we donât know where she lives now. Youâd better leave; if thereâs gratitude, keep it in your heart."
Upon hearing this, the man frowned slightly, sighed, and said, "In that case, I apologize for disturbing you." Then he put the gift boxes in his baskets and said, "Consider it a small token of my appreciation."
Zhou Xueli watched him leave without looking back, frowning slightly on his face. This man seemed a bit strange; what debt of gratitude did his sister have toward him?
"Zhuziâs Auntie, did he ask anything else?" Doubts stirring in Zhou Xueliâs heart, he couldnât help but ask another question.
"He didnât ask much, just where your sister moved to? Itâs been so long since your sister and her daughter moved away, and they havenât come back even onceânot even for New Yearâs to visit. Are you truly not in touch with them?" Zhuziâs Auntie asked, full of curiosity.
Zhou Xueli tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, "They have their own lives to lead. Whether we stay in touch or not, isnât that how things are? My wife is waiting for me, I should head back!"
Saying that, afraid she might ask further, he quickly walked away.
Once back home, he spoke a few words with Lady Liang and then went to talk to her mother, mentioning that someone had come asking about his sister and Wufuâs whereabouts.
Old Lady Zhou nearly pricked her finger with the needle and asked, "What kind of person?"
Zhou Xueli described the person, and as Old Lady Zhou listened, her expression subtly changed. She asked, "Does he have a small scar near his eye?"
Zhou Xueli was taken aback; how did she know?