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Originally, Yun Cuihe hadn’t thought of this, but after Chu Yue’s reminder, her gaze toward Lu Shanshan became suspicious.
“Yueyue is right. How did you know that there was a thief in my house? Could it be that you were the one who did it?”
Lu Shanshan panicked and quickly waved her hand.
“No, aunt, don’t misunderstand, it wasn’t me.” She then looked at Chu Yue and angrily said, “My father is the village chief of Banpo Village. I could never be a thief. You can’t defame me just because I was once engaged to Xinghe.”
So, they had been engaged.
Chu Yue was taken aback by Lu Shanshan’s words and took a step back, falling into a warm embrace.
“Are you alright?”
The girl in his arms shook her head, still slightly stunned, but her eyes couldn’t hide the grievance she felt.
Lu Xinghe gently patted her back, looking toward Lu Shanshan. “Are you sure there was an engagement between us? Do you have any proof or documents? Such slander is punishable by law. Today, I will overlook it since this is your first offense, but if I hear it again, prepare for a legal trial.”
A legal trial!
After all, they had been engaged in the past, and Lu Shanshan had thought that Lu Xinghe might still have some compassion for her. But his cold tone and sharp words made her stagger back in surprise.
Looking at Chu Yue, who was protected in his arms, her heart felt bitter. If her family hadn’t denied the engagement all those years ago, it might have been her being protected by him now.
The commotion attracted the attention of the people nearby, and many craned their necks to watch the drama unfold.
Seeing that Lu Xinghe’s family was all siding with Chu Yue, Lu Shanshan had no face to stay any longer, so she covered her face and quickly ran off.
Yun Cuihe sighed, then turned to explain to Chu Yue.
“Yueyue, don’t take it to heart. The engagement between Xinghe and Lu Shanshan was just a joke between the two families when they were young. After our family fell on hard times, the village chief’s family also didn’t acknowledge the engagement. Three years ago, they arranged for Lu Shanshan to marry someone else. The wedding is next month, and I’ll take you to the banquet.”
Chu Yue, with her head lowered, nodded and went back to her room.
Seeing her leave, Yun Cuihe turned to Lu Xinghe and advised, “Go comfort her. Yueyue is gentle by nature, and with how fierce Lu Shanshan was earlier, she must have been scared.”
Lu Xinghe glanced at the room, nodded, and said, “Alright.”
The chickens and ducks bought earlier that day couldn’t be left outside with the big rooster, so Yun Cuihe had Lu Xinghe clear the pigsty and put the chickens and ducks inside.
The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, making it perfect for these chickens and ducks to grow. By the time the weather turned cold, the chickens and ducks would be big enough to endure the chill.
After finishing the chores, Lu Xinghe went inside.
He had planned to talk to Chu Yue about Lu Shanshan, but when he saw that the little girl had already curled up in bed, sleeping, he didn’t want to disturb her.
He gently pulled the blanket over her and lay beside her. He had never really cared about the so-called engagement with Lu Shanshan, but he hadn’t expected that it would affect the little girl beside him.
For some reason, a sense of anger rose in his heart.
A moment later, Lu Xinghe turned over and fell asleep in a daze.
…
The next day, the family woke up early to start work.
Yun Cuihe and Lu Xing’an prepared breakfast, and Lu Xingping went to feed the chickens and ducks. After Chu Yue woke up, she moved the chickens and ducks from the pigsty into the chicken coop outside, planning to bring them back inside later in the evening.
Lu Xinghe wanted to find a chance to talk to Chu Yue, but it seemed she was always busy, and he could tell that she was deliberately avoiding him.
He had no choice but to return to his room to read, but with so many thoughts in his mind, he couldn’t help but glance outside from time to time.
Yun Cuihe, being more experienced, quickly noticed the issue. If they didn’t clear things up properly, the tension would only grow.
She subtly signaled to Lu Xinghe, then glanced toward Chu Yue.
Lu Xinghe understood her meaning, closed the book in front of him, and got up to help Chu Yue move the chickens and ducks into the coop. Afterward, he took her hand and led her into the house, closing the door behind them.
He gently rubbed her lowered head.
“Are you still upset?”
Chu Yue shook her head and quietly said, “No.”
Lu Xinghe smiled gently and explained, “There’s nothing between me and her. If she hadn’t come to our house yesterday, I probably wouldn’t even remember what she looked like.”
Chu Yue pursed her lips slightly, “Oh.”
In fact, she wasn’t really angry and knew there was nothing between them. It was just that Lu Shanshan had caused a scene at their home and yelled at her in front of everyone. That left her feeling uncomfortable, and she didn’t want to hear Lu Xinghe’s explanation.
As the atmosphere grew tense again, Lu Xinghe suddenly stepped forward and gently hugged her, patting her back as if comforting a child.
“When Xingping and Xing’an were young and crying, I would comfort them like this. Does it make you feel a bit better?” He looked a little awkward, “This is my first time dealing with a girl, and I’m not very good at comforting people. If I’m not doing it well, Yueyue, please don’t be upset.”
The little girl In his arms couldn’t help but laugh softly, then pouted and said, “I’m not a child, I don’t need you to comfort me like that.”
Hearing her speak to him again, Lu Xinghe finally sighed in relief. Just as he relaxed, he heard Chu Yue say, “I didn’t mean to slander her yesterday. When I said that to her, I didn’t even know she was the village chief’s daughter, and I didn’t even know you had any prior connections with her.”
After all, with the thief breaking into their house yesterday, even the neighbors around might not have known about it. It was only natural for Chu Yue to ask about it when Lu Shanshan suddenly came to say such things.
Lu Xinghe pinched Chu Yue’s small nose and corrected her, “You got the last part wrong. I really don’t have any connection with her.”
Then, as if remembering something, he asked again, “So, the strange person you saw the other day was her?”
Chu Yue nodded. “Yes, it was her.”
Lu Xinghe thought for a moment and then looked at Chu Yue again. “As for last night, I imagine the neighbors must have heard the commotion. If anyone asks, just tell them we lost two taels of silver.”
Chu Yue looked puzzled. “Why?”
Lu Xinghe rubbed her head gently. “Just do as I say. Perhaps, we won’t need to take any action ourselves. The thief might be caught and brought to us. Then, I’ll explain why.”