The Gusu Mistake - Chapter 15

“We… where are we going?” Yuan ruo and Jiang Yilan both had martial arts skills and didn’t feel tired from the journey, but Zhou Widow was just an ordinary woman. Even though she was used to physical labor, she couldn’t compare. After walking for a long time, she started to get tired.

Jiang Yilan and Yuan ruo, who were walking ahead, turned around. Jiang Yilan asked, “What’s wrong? Tired?”

Zhou Widow nodded slightly, “My legs hurt a little!”

“Oh, like that…” Jiang Yilan looked around and her eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey, there’s a tea stall over there. Let’s go have some tea and rest our feet!”

The tea stall was by the roadside, and it was small. Of the four tables, one was occupied and the others were empty. Jiang Yilan unceremoniously found a seat and sat down first. “Boss, a pot of tea!”

“Okay, please wait a moment!” The tea stall owner was a man in his thirties, a bit dark-skinned with a simple and honest face. As the three of them sat down, his tea arrived, and he considerately filled their teacups. “Are you folks traveling?”

“Ha!” Jiang Yilan laughed. “Boss, that’s a funny thing to say. If we’re not traveling, are we here to settle down?”

“Uh…” The boss was stunned, then gave a simple smile. “Pardon me, I’m just a country bumpkin and don’t know how to talk.”

“No need to be nervous!” Jiang Yilan waved her hand. “I’m just joking with you!”

“Ah! Haha!” The boss gave two awkward laughs, then went back to his work.

“Come on, come on, have some tea!” Jiang Yilan called out to Yuan ruo and Zhou Widow. “It’ll quench your thirst!”

But Zhou Widow just kept her head down and didn’t move. “We’ve already walked very far. Maybe… maybe I should just go back!”

“Don’t!” Jiang Yilan wiped the tea stains from her mouth. “You’ve already come all this way. Don’t worry, I promise this trip won’t be in vain!”

Zhou Widow lowered her head, not quite believing Jiang Yilan.

“Hmph, she doesn’t believe you,” Yuan ruo said, watching Jiang Yilan with a smirk.

“I…”

“Waaah…” The cry of a child interrupted Jiang Yilan’s words, and they saw the boss come out of a corner in a panic, holding a child who looked about two years old.

“Huh?” Jiang Yilan looked on curiously. “How is there a child here?”

“My apologies for disturbing you all!” The boss apologized to everyone in an embarrassed manner while coaxing the child. “He’s usually very well-behaved. He was scalded by hot water today, and the wound probably hurts again, that’s why he’s crying.”

“You bring your child out to sell cold tea?” Jiang Yilan asked. “Where’s his mother?”

“His mother…” The boss gave a bitter smile. “She fell ill before the new year and never got better, and she passed away.”

A story of a tragic life always leaves people in silence. However, Zhou Widow suddenly stood up and went to the boss. “How about you let me hold the child?”

The boss was stunned and didn’t react for a moment, but the child was already taken into Zhou Widow’s arms. She carefully exposed the scalded area and gently blew on it. The child gradually stopped crying.

“He’s not crying anymore, he’s not crying anymore!” Jiang Yilan clapped her hands excitedly. “Sister Zhou is so capable!”

The boss was also happy to see the child quiet down. “Thank you, I… I’ll get you some refreshments!”

“No need!” Zhou Widow gently swayed the child in her arms. “It’s not easy for you. You go and take care of your customers. I’ll watch the child for you for a while.”

The boss scratched his head sheepishly. “Then… thank you very much!”

“Hey!” Jiang Yilan leaned closer to Yuan ruo and whispered, “How’s it?”

Yuan ruo nodded. “Good, very suitable!”

“I think it’s very suitable too!” Jiang Yilan’s eyes curved into a smile. “Shall we play matchmaker?”

Yuan ruo raised an eyebrow. “Send her to his house?”

“What are you saying?” Jiang Yilan was speechless. “We can’t be that direct!”

Yuan ruo smiled faintly. “What’s your idea?”

“Well…” Jiang Yilan stroked her chin in thought for a moment. “Just you wait and see!”

The tea was quickly finished, and the child had fallen asleep. Zhou Widow put the child back in his small bed, then returned and asked Jiang Yilan and Yuan ruo, “Shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s go!” Jiang Yilan stood up. “The place is small, you go out first, we’ll follow behind you.”

Zhou Widow didn’t say anything and really walked out first. But just as she reached the doorway, something hit her leg. In pain, she let out a cry and fell.

“Be careful!” The boss saw Zhou Widow fall and rushed over to help her up. After helping her, he remembered that it was improper for a man and a woman to touch and awkwardly stepped back. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s… it’s nothing!” Zhou Widow limped, trying to find a place to lean on. The boss saw this and, after a moment’s hesitation, stepped forward to help.

“Let me help you!”

The boss took Zhou Widow’s arm and helped her sit down at a nearby table.

“How are you? Did you get hurt anywhere?” The boss was anxious and at a loss, but he didn’t dare to touch Zhou Widow.

Zhou Widow herself lifted her pants leg, revealing a small bruise. “Just this, nothing else.”

“How could this happen?” The boss thought for a moment. “Wait a minute, I’ll go get some medicinal liquor for sprains!”

Zhou Widow pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay.”

The boss went and got the medicinal liquor for sprains, and after hesitating, he applied it to Zhou Widow’s leg himself. After everything was done, the last table of customers at the tea stall also left, and a dark cloud happened to roll in.

The boss looked at the sky. “It looks like it’s going to rain!”

“That’s terrible!” Jiang Yilan deliberately said with a worried tone. “We came with nothing, not even a shelter from the wind and rain, and Sister Zhou’s leg is hurt and she can’t walk.”

“You didn’t bring an umbrella?” the boss asked.

“It was sunny when we left!” Jiang Yilan sighed. “The heavens are truly unkind, they’re bullying me too much!”

“This…” The boss said with hesitation. “My humble home has two rooms, and it’s not far from here. If you don’t mind…”

“We don’t mind, we don’t mind!” Jiang Yilan said, and then immediately urged the boss. “Quick, lead the way!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll clean up!” The boss quickly packed up his things and held the child. “Follow me!”

“Let me hold the child for you!” Jiang Yilan took the child from the boss’s arms.

“I’ll carry the things for you!” Yuan ruo also cooperated and took the things from the boss’s hands.

“Then what about me…?” The boss looked at Zhou Widow helplessly.

“What are you standing there for? Help her!” Jiang Yilan urged. “Are you going to make my husband help her?”

“Then… then I apologize for the liberty!” The boss awkwardly took Zhou Widow’s arm. “Follow me!”

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