A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Afterwards, Gui'er returned to school as usual. After class, nothing unusual happened. Taohua, however, said, "The young lady has been feeling down lately. She hasn't been going to the movies or the theater, or even shopping at the department store. She's very worried."

Gui'er didn't know what was going on, so she could only comfort Taohua, saying, "Miss, you're just too frightened. You'll be fine after a while."

When Gui'er returned to the Song Mansion from school that day, she felt the atmosphere was a bit solemn as soon as she entered the door. Many strangers came to the mansion. As soon as Song Xilun entered the door, he was called to the front hall to discuss matters.

Gui'er returned to her room and was about to do her homework when Wu Ma suddenly rushed in and said, "The master and his wife are calling you." Then she grabbed Gui'er and walked towards the front hall, saying sternly, "When we get there, be careful what you say. If you mess up, I won't forgive you."

Gui'er asked, "What's the matter? You have to tell me, then I'll know."

Wu Ma thought about it and let go of her hand, saying, "Someone from the young lady's fiancé's family is here, wanting to inquire about what happened in Qingfeng Village."

Gui'er thought that since he was her fiancé, it was right for her to come and show some concern. Why should she answer his and their questions herself?

As I was thinking about it, I arrived at the front hall. In the living room, in addition to the master and his wife, the young master and his young lady, there was also an elderly couple with a young man in his early 20s, and their entourage of about four or five people.

Gui Er walked calmly to the center of the hall, bowed to the master and the mistress, and said, "Hello, master, hello, madam."

He bowed to the young masters and young ladies and said, "Hello, young masters and young ladies."

Master Song Shichang nodded with satisfaction and said to Gui'er, "Meet Master Cao, Madam Cao, and Master Cao."

Gui'er turned and came to the old couple and said, "Mr. Cao, Mrs. Cao, Mr. Cao is polite."

Mr. Cao, with his square face and goatee, wore a silk jacket and carried a walking stick. He looked like a very traditional patriarch. He nodded and asked, "Are you the maidservant who fell into the bandit den with your young lady?"

Gui'er half lowered her head, her eyes fixed on the ground, and said politely, "Yes, Master Cao."

Then Mr. Cao asked them how they had been doing over the past few days, what they had eaten for each meal, who they had met, what they had said, whether the three of them had always been together, and whether they had ever been taken out alone.

Gui'er found it funny. The questions that Zhang Ma and A Xiang had asked her before were just like previewing the questions with her, so she answered them naturally and fluently without being humble or overbearing.

Mr. Cao seemed satisfied. He stroked his beard, nodded, and turned to Song Tingting and said, "You have been wronged."

Song Tingting felt a little helpless, not knowing how to respond, and just nodded.

At this time, Mrs. Cao, who was sitting next to Master Cao, spoke up: "You are just a little maid. Your food and shelter depend on your master for life and death. Of course, you won't say bad things about her. Now that you have entered the bandit's lair, how can you possibly escape unscathed?"

The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became solemn. Mr. Song and Mrs. Wen both looked unhappy, but Mr. Cao looked at Mrs. Cao with a happy expression.

Guier thought that Mrs. Cao was very young, only about 30 years old, and she looked like a couple with Mr. Cao who was in his early 20s.

Gui'er thought for a moment and said, "Mrs. Cao, what you said is absolutely true. As servants, our food and shelter depend entirely on our master, so if anything were to happen to our master, how could we survive alone? We would surely die to protect him. Now that we've escaped unscathed, doesn't that mean our young lady is also unharmed?"

Mrs. Cao was speechless for a moment.

When Master Cao saw that Mrs. Cao didn't say anything else, he said, "That's what I said, but I can't guarantee that you'll all be fine. You're still children, unlike the young lady who's already 28 years old."

The meaning is very clear. The bandits let her and Taohua go because they were children, but they might not let Song Tingting go.

Gui'er had no choice but to say, "Taohua and I have been with the young lady the entire time. She is absolutely unharmed."

Young Master Cao crossed his legs and said nonchalantly, "That may not be the case."

Song Xichen couldn't bear it any longer and said coldly, "What do you mean by that?"

Young Master Cao wasn't afraid either. He said to Song Xichen with a playful smile, "Director Song, don't mind me. Our Cao family is a well-known family in this area. I just don't want to be gossiped about for the rest of my life."

Song Shichang was also a little unhappy and said to Master Cao, "Brother Cao, what does your son mean by this?"

Master Cao said in embarrassment, "Brother Song, I only have this one son. This matter is really a headache. How about this: we can announce to the public that although they are engaged, they have never met and have no emotional foundation, so now they can call off the engagement on the grounds that they can't get along."

As soon as Mr. Cao finished speaking, Mrs. Song pointed at his nose and cursed, "It was you, the Cao family, who rushed to propose marriage to us. Now that this has happened, you are withdrawing from the group. How will Tingting find a partner in the future? Isn't this the same as telling everyone that she was harmed by bandits?"

When Mr. Cao heard what Mrs. Song said, he didn't dare to say anything else.

At this time, Butler Zhang came in and said to Master Song: "Master, dinner is ready. Why don't you invite Master Cao to have dinner with you before discussing this?"

Before Mr. Song could speak, Mr. Cao stood up and said, "No, we won't bother you any more. Let's discuss this matter later. Miss Song, please take good care of yourself."

After saying that, they said goodbye, and Mr. Song asked Butler Zhang to see them out the door.

As soon as Mr. Cao and his family left, the eldest wife, Wang Wenhui, beat her chest and stamped her feet, crying and shouting, "This evil Cao family dared to humiliate my daughter like this! They are such bastards, my poor daughter."

As he said this, he hugged Song Tingting and burst into tears. Song Tingting also cried bitterly.

At this time, Wu Ma suddenly said, "Master and Madam, I have a plan. I wonder if it will work?"

Mr. Song said, "What's the plan?"

While observing the expressions of the master and his wife, Wu Ma said, "Now the Cao family suspects that the three of them went to the bandit's lair and there's no way they could come out unscathed. Then we can have one of them say that she took all the blame. Wouldn't that make it more credible?"

When Gui'er heard this, she thought that one of her and Taohua would be pushed out as scapegoats. This Wu Ma was really stupid and evil.

Gui Er sneered and said, "Auntie Wu, I just told the Cao family that the three of us are unharmed. Now you want one of us to take the blame. Isn't that just throwing dirty water on yourself? And if one of Taohua and I tells others that we were raped, how can others believe that a child was brutally abused and that the bandits would let a grown girl go?"

Wu Ma obviously didn't expect Gui'er to say that. She smiled awkwardly and hid away.

Mrs. Song nodded and said, "Actually, what Aunt Wu said makes sense. It's a pity that Gui'er said it too early. Otherwise, wouldn't it be okay if she just admitted it?"

Gui'er looked at Mrs. Song in shock and said nothing more.