Chapter 96: The Control Group for the Farm Family’s Lucky Baby – 6

The Village Head truly did have such intentions. Although the man was unconscious, the silks and satins he wore looked even more opulent than those of Wealthy Proprietor Wang in town. He clearly came from a prominent background. Furthermore, the jade pendant at his waist was obviously no ordinary object. This life-saving debt of gratitude—the Village Head would gladly accept it on his behalf.

Qingmei really was a good child.

Zhang Qingmei was fuming with rage, but there was nothing she could do. She was currently just a teenage girl; dragging a strange man down the mountain was already improper. If she spoke up and insisted on taking him to her home to recover, it would not only violate social norms, but her family likely wouldn’t allow it either.

Yet, as she watched the villagers carry the stranger toward the Village Head’s house, Zhang Qingmei felt a sharp pang in her chest, as if she were losing something vital.

Just as Zhang Qingmei was about to speak up and stop them, the Village Head interrupted her with a placating tone. “I’ll go find a doctor to check on him in a moment. Qingmei, you should hurry on home now!”

Ren Xin was lounging on her bed with her feet kicked up, chatting idly with the Book Spirit. The Book Spirit was already contemplating whether it could just block her.

Ren Xin’s little ears twitched. There was a sound; her mother was back.

She hurriedly began to pretend she was embroidering, putting on an act as if she had been working for a long time and remained blissfully indifferent to the storms raging outside.

Book Spirit Number One: 【Host, you are the most successful cosplayer I have ever seen~】

The tone was a bit sarcastic.

Book Spirit Number One explained with even greater sincerity, 【Host, don’t mind that I seem a bit insincere when I praise you. When I disparage you, I am absolutely at my most genuine.】

Ren Xin: “…” Well, thank you very much!

【You’re welcome. This is what a professional Book Spirit should do.】

Mother Ren returned, looking somewhat dejected. Ren Xin tried her best to appear nonchalant. “Mother, how did it go?”

“The man was carried to the Village Head’s house. I saw that Zhang Qingmei still wouldn’t give up and followed them. I didn’t want to watch any more of it, so I came back.”

What a dull conclusion.

Ren Xin continued to probe, “Mother, I remember the Village Head used to be the most conflict-averse person. He’d smooth things over when there was trouble and act like a simpleton when there wasn’t. Why was he so decisive today?”

Mother Ren nodded in agreement and said disdainfully, “He saw how well the man was dressed. He thinks no one noticed his little scheme. That girl Zhang Qingmei probably isn’t willing to let it go, either.”

Ren Xin thought to herself: How could she be? According to the timeline, this stranger should be Lu Jinghuan, a Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty.

When such overwhelming fortune is snatched away right from under someone’s nose, who could possibly be content?

Ren Xin pushed the matter to the back of her mind and hurried to claim credit from Mother Ren. “Mother, look at the handkerchief I embroidered. Isn’t it beautiful? Once I’ve saved up a few more, I’ll sell them…”

Mother Ren looked at the handkerchief and was truly stunned. The color coordination was superb; it was simply too beautiful.

“Daughter, keep learning well. Give this handkerchief to Mother; I love it too much.”

Ren Xin smiled sweetly. “Sure! Mother, tell me what patterns you like, and I’ll embroider them for you.”

“Whatever you embroider, Mother will love.”

While there was a scene of mother-daughter devotion on one side, Zhang Qingmei was being shooed away by the Village Head’s family on the other.

“Zhang Qingmei, if you have nothing else to do, just go home. Even though you’re the one who saved him, everything that follows has nothing to do with you. You don’t need to keep coming by. Aren’t you learning embroidery? Don’t waste your time. Go on back!”

Zhang Qingmei had no choice. She cast a deep, lingering look at the man before turning to leave in frustration.

On the way home, Zhang Qingmei grew to resent both Ren Xin and the Village Head. It was all the fault of that big-mouthed Ren Xin—why did she have to go back and report the news? Why did she have to bring everyone to help? And the Village Head was a man who abandoned all principles for profit, shamelessly stealing the credit for himself…