Chapter 11: Asking for Five Hundred Dollars

Xia Xiaoyu sneered coldly, "I really don't want to help him, but that doesn't mean we can't negotiate terms."

Xu Anxin's face lit up with joy, "What terms do you want to discuss?"

Xia Xiaoyu waved a hand, "Five hundred yuan!"

Xu Anxin immediately shouted, "Xia Xiaoyu, have you gone mad over money?"

Xia Xiaoyu smiled and said, "Xu Anxin, didn’t you say your brother is a future university talent, a hot commodity as soon as he graduates? Which is more worthwhile: five hundred yuan or his whole future?"

Xu Anxin frowned. Her brother would be assigned a job after graduation, bringing honor to the whole family. That was a good thing.

But having to pay five hundred yuan was harder for her than cutting flesh.

"Xia Xiaoyu, I never expected you to be like this."

Xia Xiaoyu said, "If you think it’s expensive, then get lost."

"What Xu Jinyan did can be settled for five hundred yuan, and your whole family will be in deep gratitude."

Xu Anxin was at a loss to decide.

"In that case, go find someone who can make decisions."

Xu Anxin said, "Xia Xiaoyu, can’t we discuss any other terms?"

Xia Xiaoyu nodded, "Of course."

Xu Anxin asked excitedly, "What other terms?"

Xia Xiaoyu replied, "That I want nothing from it, and Xu Jinyan takes responsibility for whatever he’s done."

Lu Jingchuan stood not far off, frowning slightly, but since it wasn’t his business, he remained silent.

Both women had something about them that felt familiar to him. What other women were there in this village?

Lu Jingchuan paused for two seconds, then walked away.

He despised people who forgave those who sought to harm them just for money.

Xu Anxin stubbornly said, "Xia Xiaoyu, but my brother was your man before. How can you be so resolute against him?"

Xia Xiaoyu sneered, "Either pay up and settle it privately, or you handle it yourselves. There's no other option with me."

In the end, Xu Anxin walked away, determined to find another way.

If she could avoid paying, all the better.

Xia Xiaoyu turned her head but no longer saw Lu Jingchuan. The man had looked somewhat strange just now, but what did it matter?

It had nothing to do with her!

She wanted to go check the place where the incident happened, to see if she could find any clues.

About thirty meters to the right across from the village team office was a row of public restrooms, beside which was a small bamboo grove.

That night, Xia Xiaoyu had her accident in that bamboo grove.

At the time, she didn’t know what was happening—her body suddenly felt cold and hot, dizzy, and her stomach hurt badly, with a constant urge to relieve herself. She had no choice but to go out in the middle of the night.

Afterward, when she was about to return, she heard the sound of fighting inside the bamboo grove.

She should have run away at once.

But instead, she heard one voice say, "Finish him off while he’s under the influence of the medicine. Then we won’t have so many troubles later."

In the darkness, she saw two figures enter the bamboo grove.

They never came back out.

She didn’t know who was in the bamboo grove.

Or who those two people were trying to deal with.

Curiosity pushed her to take a few steps forward, but suddenly her legs went weak, sweat beading on her forehead.

After only a few steps, she had to sit down, leaning against the bamboo stalks.

Then she tripped over something and fell to the ground.

Reaching out, she realized there was a person lying in the bamboo grove—injured and burning with fever.

At the same time, she felt strangely unwell too, her limbs weak and an uncontrollable sensation spreading through her body.

Later, in a daze, she heard someone say, "He will definitely take responsibility."

But she couldn’t lift her eyelids, couldn’t summon strength, nor could she make a sound.

When she finally woke up again, she found herself in a dilapidated house, her whole body aching.

On the table lay a note.

"Sorry for any offense caused. I will come back to take responsibility."

Xia Xiaoyu was so angry she crumpled the note into pieces.

She hadn’t divorced Xu Jinyan yet, and if this got out, it would be a huge problem for her.

She wished she could destroy everything related to it!

Looking back now, she felt she had acted rashly. If she hadn’t thrown that note away, at least the handwriting could have provided some clues.

"What are you doing here?" Xu Anxin suddenly appeared behind her, staring intently.

Xia Xiaoyu found it strange, "Xu Anxin, mind your own business before you meddle in others’."

Xu Anxin looked at her cautiously.

Xia Xiaoyu found her gaze inexplicably odd.

Xu Anxin asked, "Have you decided now? Are you going to forgive my brother?"

Xia Xiaoyu sneered, "Xu Anxin, you really have unrealistic dreams. Don’t think too much."

Xu Anxin gritted her teeth, "Xia Xiaoyu, you’ll regret this."

Saying that, she ran off.

Xia Xiaoyu felt her expression was strange.

She walked deeper into the bamboo grove.

Signs of a fight?

Clues?

There was absolutely nothing.

Xia Xiaoyu recalled the events of that day.

As she began to piece things together, a question arose: why was her stomach upset that day?

She always cooked the meals for the Xu family.

Only that day was it Xu Anxin who had cooked.

After eating, not only did she vomit and have diarrhea, but she felt utterly weak. Xu Anxin’s earlier look at her had been full of panic and wariness.

As if something was about to surface.

Suddenly, Xia Xiaoyu saw another person.

Lu Jingchuan was there.

Immediately, Xia Xiaoyu connected Xu Anxin and Lu Jingchuan.

Did they know each other?

Lu Jingchuan’s piercing eyes fixed on Xia Xiaoyu.

His gaze made her feel numb, so she greeted him, "Hello, neighbor!"

Lu Jingchuan looked at her deeply, "What are you doing here?"

Xia Xiaoyu said, "The little bamboo grove has good air; I’m just taking a walk."

Who had the leisure to stroll around nowadays?

In the countryside, where wasn’t the air good?

So, the woman’s words were always a mix of truth and lies.

Looking into Xia Xiaoyu’s sharply defined eyes, Lu Jingchuan suddenly thought: a woman’s heart is as inscrutable as the ocean.

No use probing.

He lifted his foot and left.

Xia Xiaoyu stood still, watching his back.

One and another, all strange.

Now, she had no news at all about what she was looking for.

She stopped thinking about it. There were more than twenty days before school started.

She had to earn enough travel expenses now.

First, she arranged for a carriage.

Early the next morning, before dawn, Xia Xiaoyu climbed onto the carriage.

When she arrived in town with the others, she headed straight to a shop she knew well.

"You’re finally here," the shop owner said, eyes gleaming with happiness.

Xia Xiaoyu asked, "Are you still charging the same price?"

The owner nodded, adopting a consultative tone.

"No rush today. I want to talk to you about something."

Xia Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

The owner said, "Last time you helped me sell a hundred bowls, but you weren’t here for the past two days, and sales dropped, so people are questioning me."

"Can you teach me your method? My shop could have business every day."