Chapter 62: Encountering A Villain, A Deep-Rooted Connection

Zhang Er’s parents looked at their son’s current state and were increasingly comforted. It was a visible change. He no longer had that silly, foolish demeanor, nor did he need to be told the same thing several times before he could remember. Instead, he had the rationality of an adult. He was sensible, diligent, and more appreciative of his parents’ hard work and difficulties.

The whole time, the old couple’s eyes were red. They were so happy that they wanted to cry because they had seen hope again.

Until they left, Zhang Er saw them off at the village entrance. Many people knew that Zhang Er was being treated by Jiang Nian. Seeing his improvement, they had even more respect for Jiang Nian’s medical skills.

Someone praised and reminded Zhang Er’s parents, “Brother, Doctor Jiang has really helped your family a lot. You have to thank her properly.”

“Of course, of course. She’s our family’s great benefactor. My son, my grandson, will remember her kindness for the rest of our lives. When my boy can go home in a few days, I’ll also send a banner to Doctor Jiang. I’ll go back and ask someone to make one…”

Jiang Nian didn’t know about this.

Looking at the clear sky, she asked Ye Zhiqiu, “Is it the first day of the month today?”

Ye Zhiqiu hesitated because she immediately guessed Jiang Nian’s thoughts, but she still nodded honestly and whispered, “Master, the black market is too dangerous. We don’t lack anything at home. Let’s not go, okay?”

After all, last time, if they hadn’t happened to meet Yan Jin, even if they had escaped unscathed, they would have had to deal with a lot of trouble.

“Don’t worry. I was careless last time. This time, I’ll disguise myself properly. No one will recognize me.” Jiang Nian said confidently. “Besides, isn’t the rice running out at home?”

She liked to eat rice, especially plain rice, so she consumed a lot of it.

And she wouldn’t allow herself to eat rice and make Ye Zhiqiu eat something else. She thought she was stingy. Now, with Zhang Er, who could also eat a lot, they were using even more rice.

Jiang Nian went back to her room and came out again. Ye Zhiqiu looked at the boy in front of her, with his thick eyebrows. She knew it was fake, but it looked real. Even the fuzz on his mouth was so vivid. She was shocked beyond words.

“Mas… Master?”

Jiang Nian’s lips curled up in a mischievous smile. She used her finger to flirtatiously lift Ye Zhiqiu’s chin. “What? Don’t you recognize me?”

Ye Zhiqiu’s face instantly flushed red. She quickly dodged. “Master, why did you disguise yourself as a man? It’s amazing. You don’t look like yourself at all!”

The key was that rough skin. She didn’t know how she had painted it.

The magical art of disguise was certainly not something she could access at her level.

Jiang Nian cleared her throat. When she spoke again, even her voice sounded exactly like a man’s.

If Ye Zhiqiu hadn’t known beforehand, she wouldn’t have recognized that the man in front of her was actually Jiang Nian, the person she lived with day and night.

She walked out of the courtyard and happened to meet Zhang Er coming back. As they passed each other, Zhang Er looked at her for a long time before looking away.

But as soon as he entered the room, he rushed out again.

Ye Zhiqiu asked him in disgust, “What are you doing? You’re so jumpy.”

“That person just now…” He pointed outside. “The man who just went out from here, he’s not very old. He stole my cotton jacket.”

He was about to run out to chase him. No wonder he thought that jacket looked familiar. It was exactly like his. It turned out it was his.

What a terrible thief. He came to see a doctor and still stole clothes. He was rotten to the core.

Ye Zhiqiu didn’t dare to tell him that it was Jiang Nian. She could only hold him tightly and say, “Master lent it to him. That person was wearing less clothes. Master kindly lent you your jacket. He’ll return it to you when he’s done wearing it.”

Zhang Er calmed down. “So it was Doctor Jiang who lent it out. It’s good that you stopped me. Otherwise, it would have been so embarrassing.”

He scratched his head with a silly smile. He hadn’t seen Jiang Nian, so he casually asked, “Where’s Doctor Jiang?”

“She went out. She probably went to the mountains. I don’t know when she’ll be back.”

At this time, all the work that needed to be done was finished. Ye Zhiqiu took her book and sat in the sun to read. Zhang Er glanced at her. He couldn’t stay still, so he said he was going to pick up firewood at the foot of the mountain.

Actually, there was already a lot of firewood piled up at home, but he had nothing to do, so it was always useful to pick up more. When he was cured and left, the two girls would be able to relax a little.

Jiang Nian came to the small forest again. She followed the same procedure as last time and successfully bought the rice she wanted. She originally wanted to buy some rice paddy to plant in her space so she wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore, but they didn’t grow rice here, so there were no seeds.

But it was also strange. She had been chased here last time, and the location was still set here.

After leaving the black market, she threw the rice into her space and went to town.

From afar, she saw Yan Jin standing with a man who was slightly taller than him. They both looked serious and alert, watching their surroundings. It was clear at a glance that something was wrong.

Jiang Nian quickly hid.

She came out of the supply and marketing cooperative with her backpack full of biscuits and candy, and two strings of fried dough sticks in her hand.

A few steps later, she saw Yan Jin and the man again. They were chasing another person quickly.

The person being chased had already run past her, but he suddenly turned around and tried to take Jiang Nian hostage. She reacted as if she had eyes in the back of her head. She quickly turned around and kicked him, sending him flying several meters away. The dagger in his hand clattered to the ground.

The woman from the supply and marketing cooperative saw someone fall at her door. There was a loud thud, and she came out, not knowing what was going on.

As luck would have it, the villain picked up the dagger and held it to her neck.

“Oh my… What are you doing?” She raised her hands, not knowing what was going on. She was already terrified and trembling.

“Be quiet, or I’ll kill you.” The villain’s lips still had blood on them that he hadn’t had time to wipe off. His chest hurt, as if his internal organs had been displaced, but he still held the hostage tightly.

This was his only way out.

Yan Jin and the man stopped beside Jiang Nian, watching the villain not far away with vigilance.

“Ma Liu, let her go. Cooperate with the investigation, and you’ll still have a chance to live…”

“Spit it out. Don’t talk to me like that. I don’t believe your bullshit!” He tightened his grip on the dagger. The woman’s neck instantly turned red, and she screamed in terror.

Ma Liu deliberately hurt her to make her scream. Then he looked at Yan Jin and the man fiercely. “If you want her to live, you two get out of my way. Don’t follow me. Otherwise, I’ll kill her.”

Yan Jin and the man looked at each other. The man spoke. “You can go. Don’t hurt the hostage. We won’t follow you, but you have to let her go.”

“Bullshit. You think I’ll believe your lies? If I let her go, you’ll immediately arrest me?” Ma Liu felt more and more blood gushing up from his stomach to his throat. He could only swallow it desperately. “You two get out of my way. Don’t follow me. When I’m safe, I’ll let her go. You know, I just want to escape. I don’t want to get into trouble!”