Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands

Chapter 437 - 0418: No matter how good your kung fu is, you’re still afraid of a kitchen knife. Miss, would you like to buy a knife? (1)

He protested, "It’s been a month, how can there still be someone who doesn’t know?"

Mu Yuanxiu brushed his sleeve, "You ask me, how would I know? You should ask yourself instead, haven’t you promoted it seriously enough?" He patted the wooden sign that Tian Sanbao was holding, "Keep promoting, if the Pavilion Chief finds out you’re not doing your work properly, he’ll give you a heavy punishment."

According to the Pavilion Chief’s orders, everyone in Qingshui River Village, except for the ignorant children and the mad and foolish people, needed to know about the wrongdoings of Tian Sanbao. As long as there was one person who didn’t know, Tian Sanbao would have to keep kneeling.

Yet now, Mu Yuanxiu found out there were still people who didn’t know.

Depressed, Tian Sanbao had no choice but to kneel again.

.

That morning, Li Yuzhu rode Mu Yuanxiu’s mule to visit Mr. Song and check on his health.

The weather was cold and bleak, and Li Yuzhu wore a cotton skirt and wrapped a scarf around her neck to block the wind.

After getting off the mule cart, she rubbed her cold hands and walked towards the steps.

Kneeling Tian Sanbao saw her approaching and sighed with his head lowered.

Mu Yuanxiu tied up the mule cart, glanced at him, ignored him, and walked up the steps with Li Yuzhu.

The main door of the Song Family was closed, so they went around to the back door to enter the house.

Song Jinxiu was lighting a fire in the brazier to warm up Mr. Song,

The outside was chilly because of the strong wind.

Actually, the inside wasn’t cold, and when moving around, thick cotton clothes would even make one sweat.

But Mr. Song was an elderly man who didn’t like to move much, so he felt cold all the time, and he couldn’t get through the cold days without a fire to warm him up.

"Has Miss Li come?" Song Jinxiu smiled and nodded to Li Yuzhu, then called out to Mu Yuanxiu.

"It’s cold weather like this, how kind of you to come to see me. Come, sit here by the fire." Mr. Song placed two small stools in front of the brazier and beckoned them with a smile.

Mu Yuanxiu, being familiar with Mr. Song, immediately sat next to him and started chatting.

Li Yuzhu warmed her hands over the brazier and then checked Mr. Song’s pulse.

Song Jinxiu chuckled, "My grandfather’s health has improved a lot, Miss Li, you needn’t come so diligently."

Li Yuzhu smiled, "In a few days, I need to go to the county town to check on the shop. Before I leave, I came to see Mr. Song. Once I get to the county town, I might not return until the end of the year, so I wouldn’t feel at ease if I didn’t check on him."

Actually, her real reason for coming was to see Song Jinxiu.

Song Jinxiu’s complexion looked much better than a month ago, and she smiled a bit more.

"You sit, I’ll go brew some tea for you." Song Jinxiu said with a smile.

"Go ahead, I’ll check Mr. Song’s pulse." Li Yuzhu waved her hand at her.

Song Jinxiu smiled slightly and went to find some tea leaves, but unfortunately, there wasn’t any at home.

She searched through Mr. Song’s drawers but couldn’t find any tea leaves either.

The three tea containers, two were completely empty, and one had only a small amount of tea dregs.

Song Jinxiu shook her head and sighed silently; her forgetful grandfather had finished the tea and hadn’t mentioned a word.

Now that there were guests at home, what could she use to entertain them?

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu had greatly helped her family, how could she serve them tea made from tea dregs?

Song Jinxiu pursed her lips and thought for a moment, deciding to visit the nearby Niu Family to ask for some.

The villagers were poor and couldn’t afford the rich people’s Cloud Mist Tea or Silver Thread Tea and only drank wild tea picked from the mountains.

Many households also roasted their own tea.

People weren’t particular about the tea’s flavor, satisfied with just a hint of tea fragrance.

Neither Song Jinxiu nor Mr. Song knew how to roast tea, and the tea they drank was either bought from the villagers or from the local market.

Song Jinxiu found a small string of coins and also planned to buy some from the Niu Family.

She took the pouch in her hand and greeted Mr. Song, saying she was going to the Niu Family to buy some tea leaves.

"The wind is strong outside, dress warmly." Mr. Song reminded her.

"Got it, Grandpa." Song Jinxiu replied and headed out.

The Niu Family was in the direction diagonal across from the Song Family, along the small village road in front of the Song Family, and then a short way past a patch of miscellaneous woodland.

As Song Jinxiu walked onto the village road, a gust of cold wind blew, making her shiver with a sneeze.

The sound startled Tian Sanbao, who was kneeling ahead.

Tian Sanbao had been kneeling for over a month plus a few days, and by now he was cold, hungry, and tired. He really didn’t want to keep kneeling and was always thinking of how to find Song Jinxiu to plead for her forgiveness.

But Song Jinxiu never opened the main door, so he couldn’t see her, and he didn’t dare go around to the back door, afraid she would accuse him of harassing her, leading to another harsh punishment from the Pavilion Chief.

Seeing Song Jinxiu finally come out, Tian Sanbao joyfully ran forward, "Jinxiu Jinxiu!"

Song Jinxiu was so startled she bolted, "Get away! I don’t want to talk to you!"

But running while looking back, she didn’t notice a broken tree root blown down by the wind on the ground and tripped over it, falling down.

She cried out in pain.

Tian Sanbao ran over, "Hey, Song Jinxiu, why are you running? I’m not going to do anything to you, I have something to discuss with you."

"Get lost, you get lost!" Song Jinxiu didn’t want to talk to him, turned over and kicked him.

The kick made Tian Sanbao stumble back a few steps.

"Damn woman, I just wanted to say a few words to you, what are you running for?" Tian Sanbao got impatient and started cursing.

Song Jinxiu gave him a cold glare, got up from the ground, and ran.

Tian Sanbao chased after her and grabbed her, "Song Jinxiu, are you crazy? What are you running for?"

"Get off!"

"I have important things to discuss with you!"

Smack—

Song Jinxiu constantly remembered what Li Yuzhu said: the more timid you are, the more you’ll be bullied. She mustered her courage and slapped Tian Sanbao across the face.

Tian Sanbao’s anger erupted, "You’re something, Song Jinxiu, you dare to hit me? I’ve tolerated you for over a month, I’m going to deal with you today!"

He rolled up his sleeves and raised his hand to slap Song Jinxiu.

But just then, someone suddenly reached out a large hand and smacked Tian Sanbao on the head with such force that Tian Sanbao was knocked off balance with just one slap.

"Damn it, I’ve been dreaming of having a woman talk to me and you dare to hit a woman?" This person cursed and kicked Tian Sanbao twice.

Tian Sanbao got slapped twice and kicked out of nowhere, he cried out in pain.

He covered his sore face, turned around and shouted at the person, "How’s this any of your business?"

Song Jinxiu also looked at the person.

The man had a scarf covering the lower part of his face, obscuring his chin. But judging from the eyebrows and eyes, he was a broad-faced man with thick eyebrows.

He was tall and spoke in a rough voice.

Even in the cold weather, he had his sleeves rolled up, revealing his dark and strong forearms.

In his left hand, he held three brand-new kitchen knives, and his right hand was on his hip, glaring fiercely at Tian Sanbao, "What, you’re not convinced? Come on, come on, I don’t need my left hand, I could snap your neck with just my right hand."

Tian Sanbao didn’t dare make a sound and kept retreating in fear.

Because he recognized the newcomer.

Even though he covered his chin, Tian Sanbao would recognize him even if he turned to ashes; this was the third brother of the Gui Jianchou brothers from Huang Village, Chen Laosan.

Tian Sanbao had once gambled with him, and even though Chen Laosan lost, he stubbornly refused to admit it and snatched the money back.

Tian Sanbao, having won money, ended up getting beaten and was depressed for days.

Unexpectedly, after two years, he was unfortunate enough to run into Chen Laosan again.

He could never beat Chen Laosan’s strength, even with a second person!

Tian Sanbao didn’t dare say another word, turned around, and ran straight to the Song family’s doorstep, picked up the plaque, and knelt down again.

This made Chen Laosan curious, "Whoa? Someone so straightforward? Kneeling without being urged? Hahaha! Interesting, very interesting!"

He chuckled and walked over to Tian Sanbao, still holding the three brand-new knives.

Meanwhile, Song Jinxiu took the opportunity to quickly run away, heading to the Niu family to buy tea leaves.

Chen Laosan came up to Tian Sanbao and pointed to the plaque, "Tian Sanbao, what’s written on it?"

He wasn’t fond of reading; he recognized few characters, barely more than his fingers.

Tian Sanbao refused to say, mumbling and stuttering.

"Are you going to say it or not?" Chen Laosan lifted the kitchen knife.

Tian Sanbao was so scared his face turned pale, and he had no choice but to recite what he remembered, as he couldn’t really read it either.

"I, Tian Sanbao, harass Song Jinxiu and falsely accuse Song Jinxiu of being barren. I am guilty of great crimes and am kneeling here as punishment."

"Who is Song Jinxiu?" Chen Laosan blinked.

"It’s the one who just ran away." Tian Sanbao sighed, thinking to himself, why did Chen Laosan have to show up right now?

Well, Song Jinxiu had escaped again.

"Such a pretty girl, and all you can think of is harassing? Why not ask a matchmaker to propose? Useless! Stupid!" Chen Laosan scolded, "Wait, don’t even think about getting a matchmaker. If you do, I’ll snap your neck! You’re not worthy of her; you’re not even fit to carry her shoes!"

Chen Laosan saw Song Jinxiu coming out from a house in front and walking this way, he adjusted his collar and strode over to Song Jinxiu.

Song Jinxiu saw him coming and, terrified, ran quickly toward the back door.

Chen Laosan sprinted a few steps and blocked her path, "Miss... Miss, please don’t go yet."

Song Jinxiu was running so fast that her pale face turned flush, Chen Laosan was dazedly looking, and began to stutter.

Song Jinxiu was about to cry, kicked out a wolf and here came a tiger?

This person was much fiercer than Tian Sanbao, knocking him down with one hand.

"You, you, you... what are you doing?" Song Jinxiu also stuttered, "My... my family knows... knows the Pavilion Chief."

Chen Laosan handed over the three knives, awkwardly saying, "Miss, no matter how good your kung fu is, you should fear the kitchen knife. Buy a knife?" he said, glancing at Tian Sanbao kneeling by the steps, "When a villain pesters you, just chop him with the knife."

Song Jinxiu, "..."