Chapter 22: Acting with her? You’re still a bit too green!

"We are not one family, so it would be best not to address us so familiarly. You may have filial piety, but does my family not have a reputation to uphold? If I am frightened, does that mean it is my own fault?"

Supported by Ergou, Bai Ruyu swayed as if she were about to collapse.

Acting with her? She was still too green!

With tears welling in her eyes, she choked out, "Compensation! I must have it today; it concerns my family's reputation. Of the one hundred taels of compensation previously agreed upon, Old Lady Zhang only gave ten. There are ninety remaining, and this entire affair was caused by her."

She turned to Village Chief Bai and the clan elders, sobbing, "Village Chief Grandfather, Elder Grandfather, if the Zhang woman returns, let her donate the remaining ninety taels to the village! My family does not want a single penny; let it be an act of charity and virtue."

What use was good acting?

Most human hearts were greedy!

Look at how those people’s eyes lit up the moment she suggested donating the remaining ninety taels to the village. They looked as if they couldn't wait to go out and help search for the Zhang woman right now.

The household of Old Man Bai did not know who the men in black were; they only knew of the Feng family's existence. But being a selfish lot, how could they possibly offend the Feng family for the sake of the Zhang woman? The Feng family were wealthy residents of the town with connections to the county magistrate's office. If they found out they had been deceived, they wouldn't even bother investigating the truth—they would likely reward the Bai family with dozens of cane strokes and send them straight to jail.

Seeing the villagers no longer speaking up for her, Bai Ruzhu lowered her head, her eyes filled with hatred. A bunch of idiots.

Unwillingly, she handed over the items in her hands. These trinkets were the face she had built up since childhood, symbols of how she was different from the rest of the villagers.

Damn that bitch. If only Grandmother were not away, and if the family money weren't in Grandfather's hands, she wouldn't have had to give away her most beloved possessions.

"Father, Mother, let us pack up quickly and go to town to see a doctor. My head is aching terribly."

After collecting the items, Bai Ruyu held her forehead and murmured, looking as though she might faint at any moment.

"Many thanks to the Village Chief, the Elder, and all the fellow villagers for your help today. I will come to thank you all properly later."

Hearing this, Bai Xiuming, not caring whether his daughter was faking it or not, nodded slightly to those around him.

Auntie Ma slapped her thigh and said, "Seeing a doctor cannot be delayed. You hurry and pack up; I'll have my man take you there."

Beside her, a sturdy, dark-skinned man with a stubbly beard chimed in, "That's right, brother Ming. You go get ready; I'll go hitch the cart right now."

***

Auntie Ma’s husband, Chen Daniu, was a well-known hunter in the village. Thanks to the efforts of the older generation, the family had accumulated quite a bit of property. To make it easier to sell wild game in the county and to send their children to the private school, they had specifically bought an ox cart. Sometimes, when he was free, he would take villagers to the town or county to earn a few copper coins.

The Village Chief said with a worried face, "Don't talk about thanks. These old bones of mine didn't do much. Hurry and take Ruyu to town to have a look."

The head elder also waved his hand repeatedly, his eyes brimming with tears. "Don't speak of such things. No matter what, we are all one family. Sister Yu must not have any trouble; she is, after all, Qingfeng’s eldest granddaughter."

"Don't be so distant, or I shall be angry!" Auntie Ma stood nearby, wringing her hands, her face full of anxiety. It was clear she was truly worried.

***

Neither Lady Jiang nor Bai Xiuming knew what their daughter was planning. Under the urging of the crowd, the family quickly boarded the ox cart and sped toward the town.

Bai Ruyu lay quietly in her mother's arms, glancing at the scenery around them: withered, yellow flowers and trees, ugly cracks running through the fields, and a hot wind blowing that felt like being inside a steamer.

The further they traveled toward the town, the heavier Bai Ruyu’s heart became. The drought here was even more severe than she had imagined. Several villages they passed were already deserted, doors and windows locked tight, not even a dog to be seen.

[Love-Eating-Wild-Vegetables: My god, is this a special effect? How can such a place still exist?]

[Is-There-Justice-In-The-World: Heaven and Earth are unkind; they treat all living things like straw dogs. If one were truly in such an environment, how could one survive?]

The livestream had been running for over two hours. Bai Ruyu had originally intended to show the "Gods of Wealth" the scenery of this era and let them experience the local customs. After all, they had tipped her mother so many gifts today—they had hit the mark.

She had not expected to see such sights. Thinking of the human migrations in historical films and the documentaries on refugees, she felt a chill run down her spine. It wasn't that she worried about her own survival, but rather for her father, mother, and her younger siblings.

She didn't know if it was the original owner's emotions or her own feelings from these past few days, but from the bottom of her heart, she did not want anything to happen to them.

"Sister Yu, what is wrong?" Lady Jiang looked down and saw her daughter's bewildered expression, feeling a jolt of panic. Could it be that the grandparents hadn't treated her properly, and she had truly been frightened and fallen ill again?

***

"Sister-in-law, we are almost there. Just hold on a little longer." Chen Daniu looked back, straining as he cracked the whip. His forehead was slick with sweat, his brown tunic soaked through, and his dark skin glistened.

Half an hour later, the ox, panting heavily with trembling legs, stopped at the cart-parking area outside the town. Chen Daniu wiped the sweat dripping into his eyes and urged, "Brother Ming, sister-in-law, hurry and take Ruyu to see the doctor."

"Thank you, Brother Daniu. I will pay the fare when we return." As Bai Xiuming spoke, he had already stepped off the cart, scooped up Bai Ruyu, and rushed off.

Chen Daniu waved his hand. "Don't talk about that now; taking the child to the doctor is what matters."

Lady Jiang, holding little Ya, thanked Chen Daniu and quickly followed. Ergou and Sanwa followed suit, bowing in thanks before hurrying after them, terrified that something might happen to their sister.

Not long after they were out of Chen Daniu’s sight, Bai Ruyu looked at the anxious group and spoke softly, "Father, Mother, I am fine. Please put me down."

Bai Xiuming did not stop his pace, his eyes showing no lessening of worry. "We will see the doctor first. Don't be afraid; Father is here with you."

[Money-But-No-Love: I want a father like this too!]

[Sweet-Baby-Deserves-Love: My dad is exactly like this; even for a small cold, he insists I go to the hospital for a checkup.]

[Destined-To-Be-Single: I am officially envious of the user above.]

***

Looking up at the man who was excessively thin, like a skeleton draped in skin, Bai Ruyu suddenly felt a sting in her nose. Usually, he would rather go hungry himself just to let her mother and the four children have a little more to eat. For the sake of filial piety, he had endured for so many years.

If the original owner hadn't died, perhaps if they had broken away from the old man's household, their family would have lived a good life.

"Father, having you here is truly wonderful..." Bai Ruyu said in a muffled voice. Perhaps these were words the original owner wanted to say, but at this moment, they were certainly what she wanted to say.

"Sister Yu..." Bai Xiuming felt his own nose sting, his eyes instantly turning red, and his pace quickened even more.