A Farm Girl: Three Acres of Fertile Land Can Be Exchanged for a Country

“I can help you, but…” Wenxin slowly stuffed the cotton coat back into her hands, “You absolutely cannot accept this.”

It's just a few sets of cotton-padded clothes, would it kill you to accept them? Are his tattered clothes really that good?

Wutong couldn't help but curse him in her heart for being so stubborn, but she couldn't persuade him, so she had to run back to the store and return the clothes.

When they returned, the two went to the inn, asked for a room, left all their purchases there, and left empty-handed. One rode the horse Li Deming had given them, while the other rented a horse from the post station, and they galloped towards Niutou Village under the cover of night.

Fortunately for her, Niutou Village and Li Deming's camp were in two different directions, separated by several mountains. There were no main roads, only a few paths made by woodcutters and farmers on foot.

They're so far away, Duan Yanxi and his companion probably don't know they're here. Wutong felt a little relieved and turned to Wenxin, who was riding the old horse from the post station, and said, "Let's hurry up and get to the village before dawn, so they don't get away."

Wenxin also wanted to be fast, but Lao Ma was so thin and slow that not only did he hurt his buttocks, but he was also extremely slow. He suspected that his two legs were about to drag on the ground.

After watching for a while, Wutong couldn't help but say, "Let's change horses. I told you I'd ride that one, but you wouldn't listen."

She jumped off her horse and led it over. Wenxin had no choice but to agree, dismounting and exchanging horses with her.

Wutong sat on it and shifted her bottom. It felt a little uncomfortable, and the pedals were a bit low, but it was still bearable, not nearly as bad as when Wenxin rode it.

Wenxin watched her with concern, as if afraid she would fall.

She grabbed the reins and waved, "I'm fine, get on the horse quickly."

Wenxin mounted the horse and sat upright. His bulky, tattered cotton coat did nothing to diminish his charm; his back view was still extremely handsome.

The two rode their horses at full speed, and when they arrived at Niutou Village, a bright red sun was rising in the sky.

The sun was incredibly red, like a salted duck egg yolk, its soft light devoid of warmth. A white mist rose from the mountains, obscuring everything in shadow.

Wenxin ran ahead, reined in his horse, and turned back to ask, "The village is just ahead. Shall we go in now?"

Old Ma was probably exhausted from running, and he was even slower than before, falling far behind. Wutong was afraid that the whip would kill him, and then she would have to pay the innkeeper's fees, so she could only desperately squeeze his belly with her legs.

After a struggle, she finally reached Wenxin's side, tilting her head to look at Niutou Village shrouded in mist. It was extremely quiet there; not a soul could be seen, as if everyone was still asleep and hadn't gotten up yet.

This is a good time for them.

Wutong made a decisive decision: "Enter the village."

The fog was so thick that they couldn't see clearly and, unable to find the main road into the village, they went in through a side road.

Upon entering the village, Wutong discovered a problem—there were a dozen or twenty households here, so which house was the ancestral hall that Niu Laosan had mentioned?

Before we parted last night, Niu Laosan was still drinking at the distillery. I guess he slept there last night. He shouldn't be in the village now, otherwise I could have asked him.

Why don't the two of you each go to one side and look at each house one by one?

She was about to give Wenxin any instructions when she heard Wenxin say seriously, "Someone's here."

"Where?" Wutong became alert.

Wenxin pointed to the left front, and Wutong jumped off the horse and tiptoed over, her right hand quietly reaching for the dagger at her waist.

As she rounded the corner, she saw the person she was referring to—a dark-skinned, fat man playing ball there.

“...It’s a child, come here.”

Wutong waved to Wenxin and walked over by herself.

The dark-skinned, chubby man looked up at her, not at all shy, and asked crisply, holding the ball, "Who are you?"

Wutong said, "My name is Wutong. What's your name?"

"My name is Bao'er."

"Good boy, I have some candy here." Wutong took out a few pieces of candy she had bought on the street from her pocket and handed them over, coaxing her gently, "Tell me where your village's ancestral hall is, and I'll give you the candy, okay?"

Bao'er looked at the malt candy wrapped in oil paper, her mouth watering. But as if someone had specifically instructed her, she didn't agree immediately. Instead, with drool practically overflowing from her mouth, she asked, "Why are you looking for the ancestral hall? Who are you?"

Wutong bent down and whispered, "I'm a friend of the people who live in the ancestral hall. I've been looking for them for a long time. Can you tell me?"

“Friend? Are you Aunt Pearl’s friend?” Bao’er muttered to herself, “You look just as good as her, and you both look like you’re from Pingzhou.”

"You even know about Pingzhou?" In those days, there was no internet or newspapers, and children might not even have access to books. Bao'er looks only five or six years old, yet she knows so much.

"Yes, my dad said that all the women in Pingzhou are beautiful. He said that when I grow up and look for a wife, I should go to Pingzhou to find one."

Wutong smiled wryly, worried that he would be discovered if he talked for too long, so he said seriously, "Now you should tell me where the ancestral hall is, right?"

“Alright, I’ll tell you. My mother doesn’t want anyone to talk about this…” Bao’er raised his hand and pointed to the ancestral hall for Wutong to see. After Wutong finished looking, he was about to thank him and leave when he said, “Aunt Pearl hasn’t come out to play with me in a long time. They said she’s locked up at home because she did something bad. If you see her, please ask her for me when she’s going to give me the candied hawthorns she said she would last time.”

So the two of them had some connection... Wutong nodded, "I'll ask for you."

Bao'er continued playing with the ball, while Wutong Wenxin led Ma Chao to the ancestral hall.

After bypassing the first handover, she heard a woman's voice ask, "Bao'er, who were you talking to just now?"

Before the woman's voice had even faded, another cough rang out, sounding like a man's, and one that seemed strangely familiar to her. Unfortunately, the sound was so faint, barely audible in the quiet village, that Wutong doubted her own perception and didn't turn around.

The ancestral hall was located at the east end of the village. The two arrived quickly and could see the house that Bao'er had pointed to from afar. It looked a bit older than the surrounding houses, but it had everything it needed. The courtyard outside was also kept clean and tidy, and there were several pots of beautiful chrysanthemums.

Duan Yanxi couldn't possibly be doing any housework or cleaning, so could these be Ruolan's work?

But wasn't she locked up?

Looking at the house, Wutong felt that everything about it was strange.

They silently jumped into the courtyard and came to the tightly closed gate. Wenxin raised her hand and knocked three times, waiting for them to come over.

A long time passed, but there was no movement from inside the door.

Wenxin raised her hand and pushed, and the door creaked open, revealing the empty main room behind it.

There were cups and tea trays on the table in the main room, all upside down, indicating that no one had drunk any water today.

Are Duan Yanxi and Ruolan not at home?

Wutong cautiously went to check out the room. Pushing open the door, she saw only disheveled bedding and a pair of silk trousers hanging on a chair; the pattern clearly identified them as Duan Yanxi's.

The clothes are there, the tea tray is there, but the person is gone...