128 Lin Feng is strange (Part 3)

"Congratulations my foot! Zhai Xiaofang, take a good look—I was just a hair away from twelve!" Shen Tang's face was expressionless. She wished she could smack Zhai Le with the black-faced boar from the pigsty or swap their brains with a pig. In her eyes, even the black-faced boar would be smarter than Zhai Le right now.

Zhai Le's pupils trembled slightly, showing a disapproving expression. Three parts shock, three parts disappointment, three parts condemnation, and one part heartache, as if he had encountered the ultimate scumbag who would rather admit his incompetence than take responsibility.

Disappointed, he said, "Young Li, how could you?"

Was she bullying him for being naive?

Although he was deeply into martial arts, military strategies, academics, and cultivation, he wasn't an ignorant child. After all, he came from a prominent family, and even if he hadn't seen certain things with his own eyes, he had heard about them firsthand. Which young master, at twelve years old, has intimate relations with a maid? The maid wanted to use her belly to gain status, but ended up being dealt with by the main mother through thunderous means.

Zhai Le kept away from such people.

Rumors always said maids seduce their masters, but these were just family tales. Who knows the truth? Was it the maid deliberately seducing for status, or was the little demon using his status to force the maid into submission? Could a maid resist the young master of the house? Would the main mother disregard her son's reputation and speak the truth? Naturally, she would push all the blame onto the maid.

Zhai Le never expected that his trusted friend would behave like this. It was truly too disappointing!

Seeing Zhai Le genuinely angered, Shen Tang's urge to perform a brain transplant on him intensified. She took a deep breath and said, "Fine, even if I could, just look at Lin Feng. She's only eight years old! Eight years old! Get a grip!"

Zhai Le's anger was abruptly quenched, freezing in a comical expression. "Uh?"

Yeah, he really forgot about that.

Lin Xiaoniang was still so young.

"So, what were you guys just talking about?" Zhai Le asked.

Shen Tang rolled her eyes unceremoniously. "That's why you should either listen to the whole conversation or not at all. Half-listening and half-imagining just caused a big misunderstanding, didn't it?"

Shen Tang felt most aggrieved—she not only had to admit her own shortcomings but also got tagged as a scumbag.

"It's nothing," she said bluntly.

Seeing her evasive tone, Zhai Le couldn't help but give her a suspicious look and asked, "Really nothing? You're not lying?"

In this world where there are more ghosts than people, evil doesn't care how old the victim is. Eight years old is very young, but some perverts like that.

Shen Tang remained silent.

Seeing his expression, she knew she was being falsely accused again. Pointing three fingers to the sky, she proclaimed loudly, "I swear by the heavens, if I did anything inappropriate, may I be struck down by lightning!"

Zhai Le remained skeptical. "So what about what you guys just..."

At this moment, Lin Feng also realized something. Through Shen Tang and Zhai Le's conversation, it seemed Zhai Le had misunderstood something. Her little face reddened with anxiety as she stuttered to explain, "It's because I'm not used to the food here in the mountains, and it's been a while since..."

Zhai Le looked at Lin Feng, who was embarrassed and shy.

"If Lin Xiaoniang has any difficulties, just tell me!"

Lin Feng stomped her foot anxiously, resisting the urge to disappear into the ground, and quickly said, "This is a matter for daughters, why does the husband need to inquire so clearly? Has the husband never worried about showing respect and receiving humility?"

With that, she hurriedly ran away.

Zhai Le's expression was as if he had been struck by lightning. Shen Tang was slightly surprised in her heart, but remained calm on the surface, moving forward to pat his shoulder.

"This, uh..."

Seeing Lin Feng running away, and then looking at Shen Tang, his expression was both innocent and puzzled. "This matter?"

Shen Tang raised an eyebrow. "Otherwise?"

"But what about 'strange things entering'... That phrase is too ambiguous." Zhai Le blushed halfway through saying it, embarrassed and unable to continue, "It doesn't make sense!"

Shen Tang had no idea what "strange things" meant. She hadn't had a chance to ask Lin Feng what happened, so she improvised.

She said, "It should be about etiquette. She's a lady of the inner chambers, not really exposed to etiquette, so calling it 'strange things' isn't surprising... That day she was quite scared, I thought proper etiquette could calm her down, so I taught her a bit..."

Shen Tang's explanation had its loopholes.

But with so many details from that day, and Zhai Le not knowing everything, he was momentarily fooled by Shen Tang.

His attention was still a bit confused.

"Would etiquette really cause someone to show respect and receive humility?" He had never worried about such matters.

Shen Tang sighed with her hand on her forehead. "Can we skip over this awkward and smelly topic?"

Zhai Le: "..."

Realizing it was a misunderstanding, he didn't want to dig deeper. After all, talking about showing respect and receiving humility was embarrassing for adults, let alone for a lady of the inner chambers.

Shen Tang asked again, "Did you come to find me?"

Judging by Zhai Le's character, he probably wouldn't intentionally eavesdrop. The only explanation was that he had come looking for someone.

It was just unfortunate that he had only heard half of it.

With Lin Feng's way of describing things, who wouldn't misunderstand?

Changing the subject, Zhai Le also felt relieved.

He said, "Mr. Chu called you to the eastern kitchen to help..."

With the money from the Lin family, the village's finances were still relatively abundant. However, with the increasing population, expenses were also rising. For example, the dozens of people under Uncle Gong Wu's command had growing appetites. After a day of training, they could devour four or five large pancakes with plum soup.

Until they sorted out that tax money, every possible expense was minimized.

Shen Tang, the food supplier, sighed deeply.

"When Uncle Gong and the others return, they also brought back several mountain chickens and wild rabbits, all looking quite fat..."

Zhai Le's mouth watered faster as he spoke.

It had been a while since he had eaten roasted rabbit or chicken.

Shen Tang's face lit up with joy. "Really? Let's go!"

Lin Feng's matter could only be discussed later.

In the eyes of everyone, she was probably the first woman capable of storing the qi of heaven and earth. At her current age, it was only a matter of time before she could cultivate her alchemy and consolidate her literary and martial courage. However, being a "different kind," especially against the backdrop of frequent wars, people tended to view such "anomalies" with suspicion. It was also easy to use this as an excuse to criticize and attack.

Fortunately, Lin Feng was quick-witted and managed to barely get by.

"Husband..."

Shen Tang was figuring out how to turn a phrase into a basket of big pancakes when Lin Feng appeared out of nowhere.

Seeing Zhai Le wasn't around, Lin Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

The scene just now had been too awkward and embarrassing.

If she had seen Zhai Le, she would have been extremely uncomfortable.

Shen Tang motioned for her to sit down. "It's okay."

Biting her lip, Lin Feng asked, "But what about just now..."

"Don't worry." Shen Tang's eyes were reassuring, and under her gaze, Lin Feng, who had been at a loss, regained her composure as if she had found her backbone. "In this world, there's nothing that can't happen. You don't need to feel anxious or scared about it. I'm here for everything."