After Xiao Yi left, Wen Tingyuan stood alone in the night. There was no emotion on his face as calm as water. Only the hands clenched into fists behind his back revealed a trace of his thoughts.
This day has come.
From the moment he decided to give up that identity, he knew that sooner or later, he would face a situation like this, with life and death on the line.
But at that time, he never thought that there would be another person who would be closely related to him and bound to him for life.
Even after he got married, he thought about this incident and always felt that he might be able to leave her alone and save her.
But as they have been together for a long time, he seems to have gradually understood what love is and what life and death are.
He actually gave up his original plan and actually brought her to the south.
Just this once!
He secretly told himself that this was the last time.
As long as he passes this current hurdle, he will be completely Wen Zingyuan, whether in life or death.
He will definitely win.
This night is destined to be a sleepless night for many people.
But not including Qiao Yuyan.
It wasn't until the morning light outside filtered in and fell on her eyelids that Qiao Yuyan woke up from a deep dreamless sleep.
Regardless of her past life or this life, she probably could not have imagined that she would sleep so comfortably and peacefully in such a simple woodshed.
After getting up, she tidied herself up and down. Qiao Yuyan opened the door and saw Sister Xiang coming back from the gate. Seeing her waking up, she smiled and said: "Brother Li has gone out. Don't be nervous, but you are hungry."
?”
Only then did Qiao Yuyan have the opportunity to take a good look at her small yard.
It is really a small yard, with only three rooms in total, plus a kitchen and a firewood shed and warehouse here. A well was dug in the yard, a garden of vegetables was planted, and clothes and other items that were still dripping were dried in another corner.
They were all very old and even patched.
There was a place surrounded by hemp rope next to the vegetable patch, and several chickens were raised in it.
There was a loom at the other end of the kitchen, and Sister Xiang was also stained with some white cotton ash. She had obviously gotten up early in the morning to work.
Even in her previous life, Qiao Yuyan had never lived such a hard life, and she couldn't help feeling a little emotional for a while.
But she was really hungry now. She didn't eat much last night, and she was busy working most of the night.
Sister Xiang probably noticed her embarrassment and said with a smile: "Since you happened to arrive at our house, it's fate. No need to be so polite. Come and have breakfast!"
Qiao Yuyan was no longer too polite, and followed Sister Xiang's example, fetching water from the well and briefly washing up, and then went to the kitchen with her.
There was a small wooden basin on the table with porridge cooking in it, but there were many leafy vegetables mixed into the porridge.
There are also two steamed buns that have turned yellow, and it can be seen that they have been stored for several days.
Sister Xiang served her a bowl of porridge and pushed the steamed buns to her, "Eat it!"
Qiao Yuyan had never eaten such steamed buns before. Even though she was very hungry at the moment, she couldn't eat it, so she just took small sips from the bowl of porridge.
There isn't much rice in this porridge, but the green vegetables are cooked together, which gives it a unique flavor.
"You don't look like a child from an ordinary family. How come...you end up here?"
Qiao Yuyan was startled, looked at herself subconsciously, and understood what Sister Xiang meant.
It was dark last night, so I couldn't see it.
Standing under the skylight now, although Shen Jing's clothes she was wearing were very simple, no matter how simple they were, they were limited. It was impossible for Shen Jing to wear coarse cloth clothes, just ordinary plain satin without patterns.
In Sister Xiang's eyes, she wouldn't even be able to wear such clothes during the New Year.
Not to mention that she has washed her hands and face now, and the skin on her body, at a glance, is definitely not the look of an ordinary working person.
Qiao Yuyan had no choice but to say: "My family is in trouble, and my stepmother wants to marry me off to a wealthy businessman outside as my concubine, so I ran away on my own, so I ended up living here."
But with a casual sentence, he explained his situation clearly.
Sister Xiang suddenly had some sympathy in her eyes, "No wonder, it's just..."
She looked Qiao Yuyan up and down, "Then what are you going to do now? Where can you go as a girl?"
"I was going to go to my grandmother's house! Who knew I was robbed and harassed on the way, so I could only pass by slowly like this."
As she spoke, she drank all the porridge in the bowl and stood up, "Sister Xiang, to be honest, it's a bit inconvenient for me to be like this. I see that you are about the same height as me.
Can you please find a pair of your clothes, and I will exchange the clothes I have on you for them."
After saying that, he quickly said: "These are my old clothes. Please give me your old clothes to exchange for them."
Sister Xiang stood up quickly, blushed and waved her hands: "How can this happen? The clothes you are wearing are of the highest quality material. How much are my clothes worth? How could..."
"No matter how much it is worth outside, your coarse clothes are of real value to me right now. If you don't exchange them for me, I might get into trouble if I go out wearing these clothes.
You had to take me in for one night last night and give me food to eat. I can't thank you enough. It can be seen that your family is not rich. I can't take advantage of you. If you really think it's inappropriate. , the extra money will be treated as my payment for last night’s room and this morning’s meal.”
She spoke sincerely and sincerely, so Sister Xiang had no choice but to agree.
Qiao Yuyan stood in front of the wooden basin filled with water in the yard, looked at herself in the water, and was finally satisfied.
She tried her best to stop Sister Xiang from giving her the outfit she was only willing to wear after the New Year holiday, and instead asked for an outfit she wears every day, with patches on the shoulders and cuffs.
She also asked for a hemp hairband, tied her long hair into a big braid and placed it in front of her body. She also tousled her hair a little, and Sister Xiang was considerate enough to tidy up her hair and put some ash on her face.
"The girl's skin is also too good, so she looks a bit different at first glance."
Then he took another basket and put a few sweet potatoes in it, "It will make you hungry."
Qiao Yuyan thanked her again and again before finally going out.
Nankang County is not big, and the construction of the county seat is also very average.
Qiao Yuyan quickly went to the street, but when she saw the people coming and going on the street, they all looked sallow and thin and lifeless.
The shops lining both sides of the street also looked half-dead.
Qiao Yuyan was not very familiar with Nankang County, but there was usually a simple map at the entrance of the county government office. Under the current situation, she still had to find a way to return to Jiangzhou or go to Hongdu Prefecture as soon as possible.
After casually asking two passers-by, I quickly found the location of the county government office, but before I even got close, I saw two rows of government officials running out from inside.