Chapter 451: News from the County

Gu Yumei suffered at the hands of the Wan Family, realizing her father was right all along. Although the Yuan Family wasn’t a scholar family, they were the village chief’s family, managing half of Qingfu Town’s villages, and they owned a profitable brick kiln, making it an excellent marriage prospect.

Yet she knew, for a young woman who had called off her engagement, finding another good match would not be easy. Upon learning that Chang Errui was delivering green bricks to Gu Jinli’s pharmaceutical workshop today, she pleaded with Mrs. Chen. Aunt and niece thus carried bean dregs cakes and soy milk to offer their help.

Chang Errui had not expected to encounter Gu Yumei again. Hearing her words, and seeing her blushing as she approached, he immediately dodged and hid behind a worker, keeping a considerable distance from Gu Yumei. He called out to Mrs. Chen, "Aunt Da Gui, we already had breakfast before coming. You should take these breakfast items to the workshop for the others."

Hearing this, Mrs. Chen’s face showed embarrassment; she knew they should not have come today, yet, in her heart, she still hoped Gu Yumei could find a good place to settle down. Therefore, she swallowed her pride and accompanied Gu Yumei to bring breakfast to Chang Errui.

Chang Errui was sharp-witted and surely understood what Sister Mei’s intention was in bringing him breakfast.

Indeed, Chang Errui understood, but his immediate response was a rejection. He didn’t take the breakfast they offered and kept a good distance away.

Gu Yumei saw Chang Errui behaving this way and felt so wronged that she couldn’t help but cry... She knew she had made a mistake. She had come all the way to bring him breakfast, couldn’t he forgive her?

Chang Errui, seeing Gu Yumei’s tears, furrowed his brow, feeling a wave of disgust in his heart. Luckily, he was accompanied by three workers today to deliver green bricks; if he were alone, with Gu Yumei crying like that, people might think he had wronged her.

Chang Errui couldn’t stay any longer and said to a nearby worker, "Uncle Jiu, wait here for me, I’m going to find Uncle Dashan."

Seeing him about to leave, Gu Yumei cried even harder.

Gu Jinli watched speechlessly and raised her voice, "Brother Chang Er, no need to go, I’ll open the door for you."

Saying this, she quickly opened the back door of the big house for Chang Errui and the others, "Go on in, deliver the four carts of green bricks to the fourth courtyard."

She planned to seal off the corner door connecting the fourth courtyard to the third and to dig a water well in the fourth courtyard itself. This way, it would be more convenient when using water and preparing medicines, without the need to carry water from the main kitchen.

Hearing Gu Jinli’s words was like music to Chang Errui’s ears, and he happily agreed, "Eh, I’ll deliver them right away."

Gu Dashan saw Gu Yumei and shook his head; the child was too impulsive, and she has embarrassed herself again.

"Brother Rui, come with me, I’ll show you the way." Gu Dashan, carrying two wooden planks, placed them on the back door’s steps, so the cart’s wheels could smoothly roll up into the house.

Gu Jinli didn’t follow them inside. Instead, with a smile tugging at her lips, she walked up to Gu Yumei and looked at her, saying, "What are you still doing standing here? He has rejected you. Are you waiting here to be rejected again?"

"You!" Gu Yumei had mustered great effort to lower herself and bring Chang Errui breakfast, only to be publicly rejected, which was already extremely embarrassing. Now being ridiculed by Gu Jinli, she was both angry and aggrieved, her crying intensified, "Wah wah wah, I knew you were all just waiting to laugh at me... It’s my bad luck, I met a scoundrel, the marriage was called off, but I’ve already admitted my fault... and you still make fun of me... you’re still saying that about me..."

"Would you just shut up?" Gu Jinli said, "You talk as though you’re so aggrieved. Wasn’t it you who chose the marriage with the Wan Family? Since you chose it, you have to swallow whatever bitter fruit that comes with it."

"And us making fun of you? Don’t flatter yourself, okay? Don’t you see we’re all busy here? Who has time to laugh at you?" Gu Jinli looked earnestly at Gu Yumei and seriously said to her, "Nobody is laughing at you; all the ridicule you face is of your own making. Do you understand what I’m saying? If not, just forget it, I’m only going to say this once."

She wasn’t a saint; she didn’t have so much benevolence to preach to Gu Yumei a second time.

Mrs. Chen, fearing that Gu Yumei would start arguing with Gu Jinli, hurried over to drag Gu Yumei away, offering a placating smile to Gu Jinli, "Xiao Yu, don’t be angry. She’s just been scared by what happened to the Wan Family and thinks Chang Errui isn’t bad. She came to bring him breakfast to test the waters, with no other intent, she won’t cause you trouble. I’ll take her back now, don’t be mad, please don’t be angry."

Mrs. Chen quickly pulled Gu Yumei away.

Gu Jinli shook her head watching Mrs. Chen’s departing figure. Mrs. Chen always said that Gu Yumei was spoiled by Gu Dafu, but wasn’t she also indulging Gu Yumei herself?

The fact that Gu Yumei and Mrs. Chen came to test Chang Errui by bringing him breakfast quickly came to the attention of Gu Dafu and Gu Dagui, who hurried home from the workshop.

Gu Dagui, catching Mrs. Chen, started scolding her: "What are you trying to do? Taking a girl from our family to deliver food to some unrelated man, I can’t believe you came up with such an idea."

Gu Dagui had a ton of complaints to hurl at Mrs. Chen, but with Gu Yumei at home, some things he didn’t feel it appropriate to say; he could only clench his teeth and point at Mrs. Chen.

Gu Yumei was still sobbing. Gu Dafu wanted to scold her yet felt pity for her distress caused by Wan Lifang and could only try to console her, "Sister Mei, don’t cry. Father knows you’re scared, but the Yuan Family’s affair is a no-go."

The Yuan Family had already rejected their marriage proposal, they were not interested in Sister Mei. For her to insist now would only bring her shame.

"Don’t worry, Father will definitely find you a good family. Though it might not compare to the Yuan Family, it will surely be a prosperous one. Even if the groom’s family isn’t well-off, Father will provide you with a generous dowry, so you can live well in the future without suffering. We aren’t afraid."

Gu Yumei was also frightened by the Wan Family’s situation, fearing the ridicule of others. In her haste, she thought if she could quickly get betrothed, especially to a family of a village chief, she could continue to proudly stand in front of everyone without fear of being laughed at.

Having mustered the courage to show favor to Chang Errui today and being rejected, she no longer had the courage to do anything else and obediently nodded, leaving her marriage in the hands of Gu Dafu.

When Chang Errui was frightened by Gu Yumei’s actions, he became anxious when delivering green bricks in the following days. Fortunately, Gu Yumei still cared about her face and did not pester him again.

Seeing that Gu Yumei was no longer causing trouble, Gu Jinli was quite satisfied and started preparing for her trip to the Prefecture.

Doctor Xiao of Prefecture Qingshan Clinic had once instructed that after Qi Kangping and Qi Kangming’s limbs were healed, they should go to the Prefecture for him to check again.

This bone-setting method was Doctor Xiao’s first attempt and he needed to see the results. If it was successful, Qingshan Clinic would dare to use this method to treat people with crippled legs.

Gu Jinli’s pharmaceutical workshop was in need of workers, and she planned to take advantage of the remnants of refugees still available at the Prefecture’s broker, to make a trip to the Prefecture and buy a group of people to make medicine.

After making up her mind, Gu Jinli’s house and Gu Daya’s house began to prepare. But before they were ready, a letter from Qin San Lang arrived in Gu Jinli’s hands first.

Qin San Lang said that Zou Jiang would likely make a move in the near future. The case involving County Magistrate Zou was about to be closed, and she was warned to stay vigilant.