Chapter 13: Compensation of Twenty Taels of Silver

After searching high and low, Lin Ruan Ruan couldn't find the burly man. Left with no choice, she bought some bread and milk from the nearby shady convenience store to fill her stomach.

However, this shady store wasn't all that bad.

For instance, the milk and bread in modern supermarkets would cost a few yuan, but here, milk was only two copper coins, and bread just one copper coin.

In comparison, it seemed quite a bargain to shop there.

After packing her things, Lin Ruan Ruan set out again with her basket on her back.

Today, she aimed to sell more chestnuts and earn a bit more money.

Since no one wanted the chestnuts on the mountain, she went to a chestnut tree, cut a long bamboo pole, and knocked down as many chestnuts as she could from the lower branches.

This time, she filled her basket and half a sack. Carrying such a heavy load to Changping Town exhausted her.

Like yesterday, she found a corner to buy sugar and honey from the convenience store. Since the quartz sand was knocked over by the little rascals yesterday, she had to buy more, increasing her costs a bit.

Fortunately, business was good today. She sold so many chestnuts and made six taels of silver, netting a profit of five taels.

Now she had three taels of silver on her, just one more and she could redeem the jade pendant.

After packing up, she prepared to go home, but then she heard a slight sound behind her.

Lin Ruan Ruan pressed her lips together, staying calm and waiting for the person behind her to make a move so she could strike first.

Yesterday, she had been careless and didn't notice Bai Cheng'an approaching, which gave her quite a scare.

Having been an assassin in her previous life, she wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

She quietly gripped the knife she used for cutting chestnuts, pretending not to notice anyone approaching as she continued packing her things.

Listening carefully, she counted the steps approaching her—one, two, three. Her eyes grew sharp and determined.

She knew that killing was illegal, so she decided to sever the tendons in the intruder's hand. If they chose to ambush her, they couldn't blame her for being ruthless.

Holding her breath, she counted the steps to time her counterattack perfectly.

"Sold all your chestnuts?" A sincere and honest voice spoke just as she was about to stab backward.

Lin Ruan Ruan took a deep breath. Damn, it was this man again.

Why did he always like to appear in such a strange way? Wasn't he afraid she might overreact and castrate him with a knife?

Quietly putting down the knife, she turned and gave a small smile.

"Yes... they... are all... sold."

Bai Cheng'an nodded, placing a piece of pork in her basket and then busied himself helping her pack the pot and the cooled quartz sand.

The two of them working together appeared harmonious and warm, almost like a couple.

After packing up, Bai Cheng'an carried the blackened pot and walked ahead.

Lin Ruan Ruan pursed her lips. If only her shady portable supermarket had a temporary storage function.

That way, she wouldn't have to carry these heavy items herself.

But then she thought, with Bai Cheng'an around, even if the supermarket had temporary storage, she wouldn't dare to use it.

Changping Town was still quite a distance from Bai Cheng'an's wooden house.

Originally, they walked one behind the other, but Bai Cheng'an deliberately slowed his pace until they were walking side by side.

In the autumn path, the chirping of insects and birds was less lively.

Listening to the occasional chirping of birds, Lin Ruan Ruan pressed her lips again.

The surroundings were no different from usual, but today's bird calls seemed further away than in the past few days.

The path was flanked by tall bushes and numerous large trees, making it easy for someone to hide.

A chill rose up her spine, an instinct from her previous life as an assassin. She sensed danger.

There must be something hidden along this path.

Unobtrusively, she moved closer to Bai Cheng'an.

This man was strong. Though he didn't know martial arts, his strength was impressive.

Having him by her side gave Lin Ruan Ruan a sense of security.

"What's wrong?" Noticing her unease, Bai Cheng'an turned to look at her, asking in a deep voice.

Lin Ruan Ruan didn't respond, instead staying alert and watching the sides of the path.

The autumn wind blew through the bushes, causing the dry yellow strands of her hair to flutter.

Her vigilant eyes and grave expression made Bai Cheng'an beside her tense up as well.

He followed her gaze towards the sides of the path, but aside from the leaves falling due to the autumn wind, he saw nothing else.

"Don't be afraid," he said, squeezing her hand to give her courage.

But Lin Ruan Ruan held onto his hand even tighter, still alert and watching her surroundings.

"Attack!" came an order from the bushes, and a dozen household servants emerged from the reeds.

It was the servants from Master Ding's household again, but this time they had brought twice as many people.

Armed with wooden clubs, the dozen or so servants encircled the two of them.

"Little stutterer, you've already been sold to our master. How dare you find a wild man?" The head servant scolded loudly, seeing their hands clasped together.

"Are they here to capture you again?" Bai Cheng'an asked in a low voice, his eyes darkening.

Lin Ruan Ruan nodded, indicating that they were.

She looked up at the man beside her, wondering if he was starting to resent her for constantly causing trouble.

Well, if he did, it didn't matter. She wasn't his real wife anyway. If he resented her, she would leave after redeeming the jade pendant. It wouldn't be a big deal.

"You there, I heard you injured several of our brothers the other day, causing our master to spend money on their treatment," the head servant said, shifting his attention to Bai Cheng'an as he and Lin Ruan Ruan exchanged glances.

Bai Cheng'an remained expressionless, his mere presence intimidating the servant.

If it was a one-on-one fight, the servant would naturally be afraid of him. But today, he had brought more than a dozen brothers. With so many people, he was confident they could handle this brute.

"Don't say I'm bullying you. If you can pay twenty taels of silver as compensation and hand over this stuttering widow, I'll let you go," the head servant said, feeling quite magnanimous despite his outrageous demand.

Bai Cheng'an, however, continued to look at him with a calm expression, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

The juxtaposition of his honest face and mocking eyes was undoubtedly provocative.

The head servant grew angry, gripping his wooden club tighter. With just a glance at his men, they understood and charged forward.

A dozen men, wielding wooden clubs, rushed towards them simultaneously.

By this time, Bai Cheng'an had already set down the iron pot he was carrying.

"Be careful," he whispered to Lin Ruan Ruan, while his other hand didn't stay idle.

With one punch, he sent the fastest attacker flying and then kicked away another who tried to grab Lin Ruan Ruan, his movements fluid and unhesitating.