The White-Bone Demon of the Farm is as rich as a country

With An Binghuai plotting something behind the scenes, Ru Yue and Chu Ning'an did not dare to leave the city easily, fearing that he would take advantage of their absence to attack the "Ming Yue Gang".

The August college entrance examination was approaching, and Chu Ning'an would stay in the backyard to study hard when he had nothing to do. Occasionally, he would go to visit the Huo family with Ru Yue. As a result, he also received a lot of guidance from Magistrate Huo, which benefited him a lot.

That day, the two went to the Huo family together again. Ru Yue went to the backyard with Huo Wanting to chat. Chu Ning'an was not convenient to go with them. It happened that Magistrate Huo was free, so he invited him to the study to chat.

This was not the first time Chu Ning'an had come to Magistrate Huo's study, but he always felt comfortable here. In the middle of the study stood a large rosewood desk, on which were placed several antique inkstones and various pen holders. On the pen holder hung dozens of brushes of various sizes. Beside the desk was a pile of official documents, which must have been the ones he had not yet finished dealing with.

Behind the desk was a wall of antique shelves, with only a few quaint ornaments placed here and there. Most of the compartments were filled with books arranged in an orderly manner. The other walls were also devoid of those elegant works of literati, but were filled with bookshelves. The richness of the collection made Chu Ning'an amazed.

Asparagus were arranged in an orderly manner on top of the bookshelf. The grass had obviously been carefully trimmed, with varying lengths, hanging down like fragrant vines, and the small green leaves faintly covered some of the books.

Magistrate Huo was processing official documents. Seeing Chu Ning'an coming in, he put down what he was holding and said, "Ning'an is here, sit down."

Chu Ning'an hurried forward and saluted, "How are you, Uncle Huo?"

The servant brought the refreshments and left.

"The college entrance examination will be held in three months. I wonder how your preparations are going?" Magistrate Huo asked softly with a concerned look on his face.

Chu Ning'an bowed slightly and replied, "I have been diligently reviewing my lessons. Recently, I have also been thinking about and drafting some essay topics on my own. However, since the master is not with me at the moment, I have not been able to receive his comments and guidance. I thought that after returning to Kunyang, I would submit these essays to the master and ask for his comments and corrections."

Magistrate Huo nodded, expressing his understanding, and then asked, "So, are you planning to go back?"

Chu Ning'an showed a trace of helplessness on his face, and slowly said: "As for when to set off to return to Kunyang, the time has not yet been determined."

Hearing this, Magistrate Huo couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He gently put down the book he was reading, stared at Chu Ning'an, and asked earnestly: "Usually, you and Ru Yue would leave immediately after finishing your work. It has never been like this time when even your return date is uncertain. Could it be that something unexpected has happened in the meantime? If there is really something bothering you, you might as well tell me, maybe I can help." His concern was revealed in his words.

Chu Ning'an knew that Magistrate Huo treated him and Ru Yue as his own nephews. Thinking of his past with An Binghuai, he estimated that if there really was to be a conclusion, he would probably need his help. So he didn't hide anything and explained what happened after the fraud case. Finally, he also explained his response. "I've already asked someone to follow up and investigate. I think there should be a result in the next few days."

Magistrate Huo fell silent, turning the handle in his hand rapidly. His face showed no expression, but his eyes were full of concern.

After a long while, he finally opened his mouth slowly, his voice low and serious: "The An family is not an ordinary family. The internal forces are intertwined and complex. You must not underestimate them. Let me ask you, are the personnel I have arranged safe and reliable? Do you need me to dispatch more people to help you?"

Hearing this, Chu Ning'an hurriedly bowed, a look of gratitude on his face, and said: "Thank you Uncle Huo for your concern! But for the time being, there is no need to trouble you to help arrange staff. If there is really a need later, I will definitely ask you for help without hesitation." After saying this, he smiled slightly, politely declining the other party's kindness, but there was no estrangement between them or overly politeness.

At this time, Magistrate Huo frowned slightly, as if thinking about something.

After a moment, he spoke again: "In my opinion, this matter cannot be resolved so quickly. I'm afraid you won't be able to return to Kunyang in a short time. Although this matter is of vital importance, your studies must not be neglected or delayed. How about this, during the time you stay in the city, you can go find Mr. Lingfeng from Ziyun Academy. That gentleman is well-read and talented, and he has unique ways of teaching students. I believe that as long as you can get his guidance, it will be of great benefit to your studies." After that, Magistrate Huo patted Chu Ning'an's shoulder lightly, his eyes full of expectation.

As he said this, he handed over his souvenir.

The Huo family's back hall.

In the flower hall, sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the delicate refreshments on the table. Ru Yue and Huo Tingwan sat opposite each other, leisurely savoring the delicacies while whispering to each other about their innermost secrets.

Over a year had passed since she'd arrived in this world. During this time, despite Ru Yue's efforts to assimilate and make new friends, the only person she could truly call a close friend was the gentle and charming Huo Tingwan. At this moment, a warm and intimate atmosphere permeated the two of them.

Ru Yue took a sip of her tea, her gaze fixed on Huo Tingwan. She asked with concern, "Sister Huo, you're already seventeen. Why haven't you or Uncle Huo mentioned marriage?" After all, in this world, once a woman reaches fifteen and holds her Jigui ceremony, she usually marries quickly. A girl like Huo Tingwan, still unmarried at seventeen, is indeed a rarity.

Hearing this, Huo Tingwan lowered her eyes slightly, playing with a small teacup in her hand, and said slowly: "Since that incident, my father has devoted himself to his career and has no intention of remarrying. Besides, there is a young Ah Heng at home who needs to be taken care of. If I leave home and get married now, I will be worried about them." After that, she raised her head, and there was no worry on her face. Instead, she showed a relaxed expression as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Then, Huo Tingwan continued, "Besides, after witnessing my parents' past love and hate, I no longer have too many expectations for marriage."

Hearing this, Ru Yue pondered. Personally, she didn't think there was anything wrong with Huo Tingwan's decision. It was just that, in this era, society placed many and heavy restrictions on women. If she wasn't mentally resolute and strong, and her parents and brothers couldn't provide strong support, her future would likely be extremely difficult.

Thinking of this, Ru Yue couldn't help but feel a little worried about her friend's future fate.

"Does Uncle Huo know what Sister Huo is thinking?"

"I have revealed my thoughts to my father, and he did not try to stop or persuade me." She picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, as if trying to cover up her embarrassment. After all, how could a girl talk about her marriage so openly with others?

"Sister, have you ever thought about the future? Uncle Huo will grow old, and Ah Heng will get married and have children. What will you do then?" Ru Yue really likes Huo Tingwan. She doesn't look like a lady from a noble family, but she has a chivalrous spirit in her bones, which suits her temperament very well.

Huo Tingwan remained silent. It seemed that she only saw the current situation of her family and her current mood, and did not consider the long-term.

"Sister, don't be too pessimistic. If you meet a good man in the future, you should definitely get married. It's better than spending your whole life on a blind marriage." She comforted Huo Tingwan and did not forget to instill some of her own life concepts in her. "But sister, you also need to make more plans for yourself. As long as you have the capital to make a living, you can live freely whether you get married or not."

Hearing this, Huo Tingwan's eyes lit up, as if the haze that shrouded her heart was blown away.

"Sister, do you have any advice?"

"It's not a brilliant idea, it's just a personal thought." Ru Yue knew she was thinking clearly, so she didn't try to persuade her. "Sister, you don't need money, and Uncle Huo is in his prime, so he can lend his influence to you. Why don't you do something for yourself and support yourself with some capable people? That way, no matter where you go, you'll always have someone to rely on."

The more Huo Tingwan listened, the brighter her eyes became, and the smile on her lips became more charming, which made Ru Yue feel uneasy.

"Sister, what you said really hits the nail on the head." She didn't mince words and directly expressed her thoughts. "Sister, you are a business genius. Would you be willing to run a shop with me?"

Ru Yue simply felt they had a good rapport and kindly gave her a heads-up, but she had never considered partnering with her in business. After all, the ideas and concepts formed by those unforgettable experiences in her previous life were deeply rooted in her mind and were difficult to erase.

In her opinion, relationships often become extremely fragile and vulnerable under the impact of interests. Therefore, she really doesn't want to end up turning against her best friend and even losing their friendship for such a small profit. If so, it would be a loss of the big picture and the gain would not make up for the loss!

So, when the other party asked with great anticipation, she decisively chose not to leave any room for imagination and politely declined without hesitation, "Sister, feel free to give it a try. If there's anything I can help you with, I'll be happy to help you. It's just that I'm already incredibly busy managing Mingyue Dian and Mingyue Xiaolou. How can I possibly have the energy to open a new shop?"

Hearing her words, Huo Tingwan was not discouraged at all. Instead, she continued in a sincere and caring tone, "Sister, don't be too modest! In fact, my requirements are not high. It can be just like when you cooperated with the Lou family in the beginning - you provide creativity and ideas, and I will be responsible for the specific operation and management, and finally we will split the profits 50-50. How about this plan, is it fair and reasonable?" As she spoke, Huo Tingwan's bold and straightforward spirit was once again revealed.

Faced with such persistence and enthusiasm of Huo Tingwan, Ru Yue suddenly felt a little embarrassed.