Chapter 27: What Should I Regret?

Song Yuntang was stunned and turned around.

“What else is it?”

Mu Dong bowed. “Miss, you saved my mother without asking for anything in return. I’m very grateful, but I still want to know where you live. When I have the chance, I will repay you.”

Not only did he want to know, but the onlookers also wanted to know.

You never know what might happen tomorrow. If you fall ill and the doctors in town can’t cure you, this girl might be able to offer a lifeline.

Song Yuntang paused and looked at him. “You can find me in Rongshu Village.”

Mu Dong was delighted.

“Thank you, Miss.”

Song Yuntang picked up her backpack. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now.”

Shopkeeper Li quickly stepped forward. “Miss, you bravely saved someone in front of my pharmacy. I’m very grateful. If you don’t mind, we can buy the herbs in your backpack.”

This saved her the trouble of going elsewhere.

Song Yuntang didn’t refuse and took out the herbs one by one. They were all well-processed, clean, and ready to be chopped.

“These are all common herbs. Shopkeeper, please take a look.”

In the end, Song Yuntang’s herbs were worth 197 coins. Shopkeeper Li gave her 200 coins.

After deducting what she had spent today, she had four more coins. Song Yuntang sighed helplessly. It’s easy to spend money but hard to earn it.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Song Yuntang left Baicao Hall.

It was almost noon, and it was still early for the ox-cart to leave.

Song Yuntang wanted to go to East Street to see if she could find any bargains, but as she took a few steps, her arm was suddenly grabbed, and she was pulled to a secluded place.

She wanted to break free but found that the other person was very strong and she couldn’t escape.

“What are you doing!”

The man pushed her against the wall of an alley, looking at her seriously.

“Zhaozhao, at your second brother’s request, went to Rongshu Village to see how you were doing. Why did you bully her?”

“I bullied her?” Song Yuntang angrily flung Lin Jingyao’s hand away. This was the older brother the original owner had called for thirteen years. “In your eyes, I’m a villain anyway. Please stay away from me and don’t keep popping up to seek attention.”

Lin Jingyao looked at her with disappointment. “Why are you always unrepentant?”

This usually handsome and gentle older brother had never been so harsh, even when the original owner had pestered him in town.

Lin Zhaozhao’s methods were indeed good.

It seemed she should stay away from the Lin family.

Song Yuntang’s expression turned cold. “What should I repent for?”

“You…”

The sister he had cherished for thirteen years now looked so unfamiliar that Lin Jingyao didn’t know how to answer.

The next moment, a bitter smile appeared on Song Yuntang’s face.

“Yes, I should repent.”

Lin Jingyao’s brows relaxed, thinking she had realized her mistake.  Who knew that Song Yuntang’s next words made his heart ache again.

“I have no blood relation with the Lin family, yet I still clinged to you for your approval. That was indeed wrong. Please apologize to Madam Lin and Master Lin for me.  Such things won’t happen again.” She looked at him seriously. “I promise.”

Lin Jingyao’s throat moved, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes full of confusion as he looked at the girl, as if trying to see through her.

They had met only a month and a half ago.  Back then, she had clung to him, affectionately calling him Big Brother. Now, her eyes held no warmth, as cold as a stranger’s.

His attitude softened. “I didn’t mean that.”

“You didn’t mean that?” Song Yuntang sneered, as if the original owner’s grievances welled up in her heart. “You’re so interesting. When I clung to you, you avoided me like the plague. Now that I say we have nothing to do with each other, you say you didn’t mean that. What do you want?”

“That’s because Zhaozhao returned to the Lin family…”

She suppressed the sadness in her heart and raised her hand to stop Lin Jingyao.

“Big Brother Lin, you don’t need to explain. The former Lin Yuntang is dead. My surname is Song now. I have nothing to do with the Lin family. I’ve thought it over carefully. My relationship with the Lin family has been a mistake since sixteen years ago. Since I enjoyed the Lin family’s kindness for thirteen years, I’m willing to face the consequences.”

“From now on, I won’t go to the Lin family for any personal matters. I also hope Lin Zhaozhao can completely sever ties with Rongshu Village and stop doing things that damage her reputation.”

Lin Jingyao disagreed. “That’s a bit too much. After all, Zhaozhao lived in the Song family for thirteen years.  She returned to the Lin family but still visits the Song family. This shows she’s grateful and cherishes old relationships. How is that damaging her reputation?”

Song Yuntang almost laughed.

“So, Lin Zhaozhao going to the Song family is cherishing old relationships, but me going to the Lin family is brown-nosing? You’re so double-standard!”

A hint of impatience flickered in Lin Jingyao’s eyes. “I never said that. Don’t fabricate things.”

Song Yuntang acted even more impatient.

“You don’t want to see me, and I don’t want to see you either. I have no objection to Lin Zhaozhao going to the Song family, but if she does anything underhanded behind my back, I’ll not only beat her maidservant, I’ll beat her too!”

Lin Jingyao clearly didn’t believe her. “What did Zhaozhao do? You’re just jealous; don’t slander her.”

Song Yuntang rolled her eyes impatiently, showing no desire to explain.

“Then consider it slander. As Big Brother Lin sees, I’m vicious, jealous, and scheming. I can’t stay with the virtuous Big Brother Lin. To avoid affecting your reputation, I think I should leave. Farewell.”

After saying that, under Lin Jingyao’s slightly surprised gaze, Song Yuntang tightened her backpack and walked out of the alley without looking back.

Only when she was some distance away did she lift her sleeve to look at her arm. Where Lin Jingyao had grabbed her, there was a clear red mark, which still ached.

She couldn’t help but scoff inwardly.

“What bad luck!”

She had planned to go to East Street, but now she had no mood.  It was almost mealtime, so she went directly to the stall where she and Song Jinsheng had eaten noodles before.

“Boss, a bowl of noodles.”

The boss said loudly, “Coming right up, Miss. Please wait a moment.”

…

Only after Song Yuntang had walked far away did Lin Jingyao turn around and look in the direction she had left.

His brows were still furrowed, his eyes filled with unresolvable doubt.

“Awang.”

A young man walked into the alley and bowed to Lin Jingyao.

“Big Brother, what are your orders?”

As Lin Jingyao walked towards the alley entrance, he instructed, “Go and investigate. Has anything happened in the Song family recently?”

The young man nodded. “Yes.”

Pausing, Lin Jingyao said, “Also, investigate what Zhaozhao did when she went to the Song family the other day.”

…