Chapter 113: The Village Chief's Method

"It seems Zhang Zhishen has learned his lesson; he's gotten smarter," Xu Mo remarked.

Ning Yaxin remained silent, her expression filled with helplessness.

"Young Master Xu, Madam Xu, I actually came here to ask you... could I possibly..." She trailed off, bowing her head, unable to finish the sentence.

Chen Miaoyi immediately replied, "Yes! Of course you can!" She turned to look at Xu Mo and asked, "Right, husband?"

"Huh?" Xu Mo paused, thinking to himself that she hadn't even finished her request yet.

Ning Yaxin looked surprised. "Madam Xu, I hadn't finished speaking."

Chen Miaoyi smiled and said, "Miss Ning, I know what you are thinking even without you saying it." She then added considerately, "Miss Ning, please feel free to stay in the village. You can return home whenever Zhang Zhishen leaves... Husband, don't you agree?"

Xu Mo was slightly taken aback, but he nodded immediately. "Exactly. As long as you don't mind the modest conditions of our village, you are welcome to stay as long as you like."

Ning Yaxin let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried about being rejected, and she hadn't expected Chen Miaoyi to agree so readily. She stood up, bowed deeply to the couple, and said gratefully, "Young Master Xu, Madam Xu, thank you both so much!"

Seeing this, Chen Miaoyi stepped forward to help her up, smiling, "Miss Ning, please don't be like that. We are already well-acquainted; there is no need to thank us for such a small matter."

Xu Mo added, "Miss Ning, I will speak with the village chief shortly to help you find a larger place to stay."

"I am indebted to you, Young Master Xu," Ning Yaxin replied.

Xu Mo waved his hand and left the house to find the village chief. When he explained the situation, the village chief frowned. The village had no inn, and the last time Ning Yaxin visited, it had required the chief to coordinate for a villager to temporarily vacate their home for a fee. This time, however, the stay would last over ten days. It wouldn't be right to force villagers out for that long.

While there were empty houses, Ning Yaxin was the eldest daughter of the prominent Ning family of Xinzhou City; her status was far too high for the dilapidated, often dangerous, vacant huts in the village.

After some thought, the chief suggested, "Young Master Xu, I have an idea that should work for a week or two."

"What is it?" Xu Mo asked.

"You could let Miss Ning and her maid stay at your uncle's house!"

"My uncle's house?" Xu Mo was surprised. "That's impossible. There are only three rooms. My uncle and Ping'an share one, Huihui has one, and my wife and I share the third. With five people, it's already full. Where would they stay?"

The chief waved his hand. "Don't be impatient, listen to me..."

The plan was for Xu Tieshu and his son, Ping'an, to move in with their neighbor, Qin Mutou. Qin lived alone, and though his place was small, it could accommodate two more men. This would free up the father and son's room for Xu Hui, and in turn, allow Ning Yaxin and her maid, Ling'er, to move into Xu Hui's room.

Though it would work, Xu Mo felt uneasy. "Chief, having Miss Ning under the same roof as my wife and me... is that appropriate?"

The chief shrugged. "What else can we do? If not this, you'll have to have her return to the city. That would certainly be simpler."

Xu Mo fell silent for a moment before asking, "What about her servants and guards? There are over a dozen of them."

The chief smiled confidently. "Don't worry about that. They are all men; there are plenty of places for them." He explained that if Miss Ning was willing to pay for lodging, the servants could be split up among various villagers' homes.

Xu Mo nodded and returned home to relay the plan. Chen Miaoyi and Ning Yaxin were chatting happily, but they turned to him expectantly as he entered. After he explained the arrangement, he looked at them both to see if it was acceptable.

Ning Yaxin nodded. "I have no problem with it, but will it be too much of an imposition on your uncle and his son to move out?"

Chen Miaoyi agreed, "Yes, husband, what if your uncle doesn't agree?"

"I'll go ask them," Xu Mo said. "If they aren't willing, we'll find another way."

He headed to the soap workshop and ran into Xu Hui on the way out. After he explained the situation, Xu Hui frowned. "Wait, cousin... if Miss Ning and her maid stay at our house, will Sister-in-law really agree?"

"She already has," Xu Mo replied, heading inside.

Xu Hui chased after him, grumbling, "I haven't agreed to this yet!"

When they reached Xu Tieshu and Ping'an, Xu Tieshu agreed without hesitation, and Ping'an followed his father's lead.

"I don't agree!" Xu Hui protested, pouting.

When Xu Mo asked why, she hesitated, unable to voice her concern about the closeness between Xu Mo and Ning Yaxin. Xu Tieshu pulled his daughter aside and said to Xu Mo, "Don't mind her, she doesn't understand the ways of the world. It’s settled!"

"Father!" Xu Hui cried out, feeling anxious but helpless.