The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 26

When the bath was nearly done, Xiao Yu prepared to step out. She glanced toward the bed and breathed a sigh of relief—Miss Song was already lying down, presumably asleep.

Xiao Yu carefully climbed out of the tub.

She found a new set of clothes she hadn’t worn yet and quickly dressed. Then she prepared to take out the clothes she had just changed out of, along with yesterday’s, to wash them.

But where were yesterday’s clothes?

She clearly remembered placing them in the wooden basin.

She searched the small house thoroughly—aside from the bed, she’d checked everywhere. Still, no sign of them.

Could they be on the bed?

Unlikely. Why would Miss Song hide dirty clothes?

Strange.

The rustling sounds disturbed the person on the bed. Song Luoning tensed, then relaxed and asked softly, “Husband, what are you looking for?” Her voice was as clear and pleasant as ever.

“My clothes from yesterday are missing. I remember putting them in the basin,” Xiao Yu replied, still searching.

“…”

Song Luoning paused, then quietly turned her back to Xiao Yu, clutching a hairpin in her hand. Her expression was slightly unnatural. “Then you should keep looking. I’ll go back to sleep.”

“Alright, you rest. I’ll keep looking,” Xiao Yu said.

Song Luoning didn’t respond. She pursed her lips and slowly closed her eyes, recalling the moment Chen Ergou suddenly lunged and hugged Xiao Yu’s leg.

She bit her lip.

Of course he wouldn’t find them—she had already thrown them away yesterday. Why keep dirty clothes?

After searching fruitlessly, Xiao Yu gave up and took the clothes she and Song Luoning had just changed out of to the kitchen.

Half a month passed. Thanks to the extra laborers, the construction project that was supposed to take a month was completed in half the time. The house was nearly finished and ready to move into.

The old adobe house was torn down and replaced with a courtyard. A new archway separated it from the new house. Xiao Yu planned to build a stable here. With the adobe house gone, there was more space. The grain mill and other tools were placed here. The fan mill, which created a lot of dust, was kept away from the living area.

The stone mortar was placed opposite the stable, where the old kitchen used to be.

The original owner’s mother had a cart, so Xiao Yu borrowed it. She planned to go to the mountains to chop wood. Just as she was about to leave, Song Luoning called out.

“Husband, where are you going?” she asked, standing outside the cart.

They had been temporarily living in the cart these days.

“I’m going to chop down a tree,” Xiao Yu replied.

She had spotted a good tree the last time she went mushroom hunting. If not for the house construction, she would’ve chopped it down already.

Hearing this, Song Luoning was startled but kept a calm face. “Husband, have you forgotten? In Baisheng, illegal logging is a serious crime.”

A… serious crime?

Xiao Yu froze.

“Baisheng is in the north, colder than other regions. In winter, every household needs firewood. So the government strictly controls logging and charcoal production,” Song Luoning explained, her clear eyes smiling but probing.

Over the past days, she had calmed down and realized that Xiao Yu wasn’t the wastrel the villagers claimed. In fact, he seemed to be hiding something.

For example, how could she not know such a basic law of Baisheng?

Xiao Yu snapped out of her shock. The wood for the house had been delivered by her adoptive mother’s people—she hadn’t thought much of it.

Surely Miss Song wouldn’t lie about something so serious.

But now the question was: where could she buy wood?

Song Luoning walked closer. “You’ll need a permit from the county office to buy wood.”

Xiao Yu nodded. If what Miss Song said was true, she’d have to go to the county office.

After a moment’s thought, she drove the cart to the gate.

“Thanks for the reminder. I’ll head to the county now. Is there anything you’d like?” she asked. Since she didn’t go often, and had some money left after the house expenses, she thought Miss Song might enjoy some snacks.

Song Luoning shook her head. “I don’t need anything. Don’t worry about me.”

Xiao Yu figured she was just being polite and didn’t press further. She waved and drove off.

At the county office, she ran into Liang Chengqiu, who had just returned from duty. Liang wasn’t surprised to see her. With her hair tied high, she looked aloof and intimidating. She asked a few routine questions and helped Xiao Yu get the permit.

Grateful, Xiao Yu said, “Thank you. If you ever need anything, just let me know—I’ll do my best.”

Though they hadn’t interacted much, Xiao Yu found Liang cold but responsible—a good person.

Liang didn’t reply. She escorted Xiao Yu to the timber office. “This is the place. Go in yourself. I have other matters.”

With that, she turned and left, her cold demeanor intact.

Such a cold but good person.

Xiao Yu selected some pre-cut timber, loaded it onto the cart, bought some carpentry tools, and stopped by a bookstore for the latest storybooks. Then she visited a pastry shop and left with bags of popular treats: osmanthus cake, mung bean cake, peach blossom pastry, poria cake.

By the time she finished, it was noon. She hurried home, arriving in the late afternoon. Miss Song hadn’t eaten lunch, and Xiao Yu felt guilty and worried.

As she neared home, she saw a man standing at her door. Just as she approached, he walked into the neighbor’s house.

Wait…

Wasn’t that the man who had escorted Song Luoning the night she secretly visited the neighbor?

What was their relationship?

The more she thought, the more upset she became. Xiao Yu drove the cart into the yard. Song Luoning was standing by the cart and smiled gently. “You’re back already?”

?!

Xiao Yu froze. Was she implying she came back too early and interrupted something?

She dumped the books and snacks onto the cart and turned around, eyes red.

“What’s wrong?” Song Luoning frowned and walked over.

What’s wrong?

How could she ask that?

But she had no proof.

“I’m fine. I’ll go cook,” Xiao Yu said, frustrated.

She hadn’t made it back for lunch, and Song Luoning couldn’t even light a fire, let alone cook. She must be starving.

Xiao Yu stormed into the new kitchen. The utensils were all newly bought by her adoptive mother.

The ceramic bowls had been replaced with elegant porcelain ones, adorned with lifelike orchid designs.

Fuming, Xiao Yu stir-fried some greens she had grown herself and reheated leftover flatbread.

“Song Luoning, come eat!” she called, her voice sharp.

Song Luoning frowned and entered the kitchen. Xiao Yu didn’t even look at her and turned to leave.

“Aren’t you eating?” Song Luoning asked.

“You eat. I’m not hungry,” Xiao Yu replied. She was too angry to eat.

Watching her leave, Song Luoning frowned. She was clearly upset.

They had parted on good terms that morning. What had she done wrong?

She let Xiao Yu go.

Outside, Xiao Yu unloaded the timber, pulled out her blueprints, and began cutting the wood. By the time she stopped, it was already dark.

She’d finish the rest tomorrow.

Still upset, she entered the yard. The cart was lit from within.

She hesitated, then said, “Reading at night isn’t good for your eyes.”

“Mm, I know,” came Song Luoning’s usual gentle reply. After a moment, she opened the cart door and stepped out. “Done for the day?”

“Mm,” Xiao Yu murmured, her eyes full of unspoken grievance.

Song Luoning paused, puzzled. What was this rogue upset about now?

She sighed. “Did anything interesting happen in town today?”

“I met Liang Chengqiu. She helped with the paperwork,” Xiao Yu replied listlessly.

Song Luoning rubbed her forehead. So nothing unusual happened.

“She’s a good person. Worth befriending.”

Huh?

What was that supposed to mean?

Xiao Yu hadn’t said anything, yet Song Luoning was already praising Liang.

She glared at Song Luoning. “That’s not right. You can’t judge someone based on one thing. You’re too naive, too trusting. You can’t just look at appearances. Some people seem honest but are full of tricks—they could sell you and you wouldn’t even know.”

Like that man next door. Do you really know him?

“You have to judge people with your own heart.”

Like me—I’m sincere toward you, clear as day.

Xiao Yu rambled on, unsure if Miss Song understood.

She watched Song Luoning’s reaction nervously.

Song Luoning took a deep breath. Still no clue what this rogue was upset about.

Forget it. Let her be.

“You’re right. I was too naive,” she said, going along with Xiao Yu’s words.

Hearing that, Xiao Yu finally relaxed. At least Miss Song had listened. Her efforts weren’t in vain.

She felt like she’d spent all 22 years of her life pouring her heart into Miss Song.

Hopefully, she’d understand.

Xiao Yu composed herself. It was getting late. “I’ll go make dinner.”

Support The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady