After returning home, Lin Guifang went straight to the hall.
The Village Chief asked eagerly, "How did it go?"
"Young Master Xie declined our gift." Lin Guifang said, "It's understandable though. Young Master Xie has lived an aloof life in the village for so many years. Before, you turned a blind eye, and now you suddenly try to curry favor with him. If I were him, I wouldn't bother with you either."
Lin Guifang was the stepmother of Yang Dashun and the biological mother of Yang Ershun. As the Village Chief's young wife, she couldn't help but possess some pride of a young bride.
The Village Chief rubbed his nose, "But I sent you to apologize, didn't I?"
He knew he was in the wrong, and his voice softened considerably.
"But it's alright," Lin Guifang said with relief. "At least I caught Young Master Xie's young wife's celebration. Since Young Master Xie is not approachable, we'll try through his young wife. Sooner or later, we'll thaw the freeze between us."
After saying that, Lin Guifang looked towards the Village Chief again, "By the way, about Yang Wei..."
"Don't mention him to me again!" The Village Chief got angry just thinking of Yang Wei.
He was not only upset about the ten taels of silver, but also furious at Yang Wei's character.
Since Yang Wei didn't actually save the Dean, he should have confessed when Luming Academy came knocking instead of taking advantage of the situation to freeload there.
You see, because of Yang Wei's "lifesaving grace," Luming Academy waived all his tuition and boarding fees.
After a year of enrollment, he did get fatter but didn't learn a single thing. He would often skip classes and submit blank papers.
Thinking about how he had personally brought his eldest son to the academy to inquire, the Village Chief's old face burned with anger.
Lin Guifang knew men didn't like being nagged, but she still said, "Since Dean Gu has personally visited Young Master Xie, he must know who his real lifesaver is. What if Luming Academy expels Yang Wei?"
"He deserves it if they expel him! That good-for-nothing layabout!" The Village Chief's face was tense with frustration.
If only Yang Wei had been a little more diligent, he could have swallowed his pride and pleaded with the academy to let that little scoundrel stay.
But now...
"Those ten taels of silver are as good as gone. Tomorrow I'll visit Xie Xun myself."
After drinking a warm cup of brown sugar water, Jiang Xiaoxiao did feel much better and not as uncomfortable as before.
Back in her room, she lay down and fell asleep with a yawn.
Xie Xun couldn't sleep, so he rummaged through his belongings until he finally found an old tattered book being used as a table leg support.
The book was given to him by a pharmacist a long time ago when he went to stock up on medicine. Since he didn't enjoy reading, he had simply used it as a table leg support.
After dusting it off, Xie Xun sat under the oil lamp and carefully flipped through it.
When he finally saw the words "Gui Shui" and read the annotations that followed, Xie Xun awkwardly put the tattered book back under the table leg.
Having taken an egg white remedy from Jiang Xiaoxiao the day before to reduce his fever, and drinking a medicinal concoction for cooling and detoxifying in the evening, Xie Xun felt much better after a night's rest.
He woke up early, went to town for a medical consultation and medicine, and also bought some brown sugar.
When he returned home, Jiang Xiaoxiao hadn't risen yet.
But the Village Chief had come.
After Lin Guifang's visit last night and now the Village Chief, Xie Xun didn't need to ask to know what the visitor wanted.
Although he didn't care much for the villagers, since he owed Lin Guifang a favor from last night, he couldn't turn the Village Chief away now, so he invited him in.
After sitting down, the Village Chief looked at Xie Xun with remorse, "It was my failure as the village chief that the quota meant for you went to Yang Wei instead. If you have any demands, feel free to voice them. As long as I can fulfill them, I'll do my best to meet your needs."
"There's nothing wrong with Yang Wei going to Luming Academy," Xie Xun said. "I have no interest in studying, and besides, I've never received any education. If I went, I'd be even worse than him."
Upon hearing Xie Xun's words, the Village Chief suddenly recalled this fact.
Xie Xun had come to Shi Mo Village at the age of three and grown up right under the villagers' noses. He had indeed never attended school or studied, and might not even recognize all the written characters.
With this realization, the Village Chief felt somewhat less remorseful, but still uneasy. He looked around and said, "What if I call some people to help repair your house?"
Most of the village homes were brick and tile houses. Even those living in thatched cottages kept them well-maintained and bright.
Only Xie Xun's house, though clean and tidy inside, appeared rather dilapidated from the outside.
"No need," Xie Xun declined directly.
"Xie Xun, you... sigh..."
The Village Chief sensed Xie Xun's cold and aloof attitude, and felt helpless.
It was their own fault for neglecting this child for so many years.
Indeed, there were many villagers who spread rumors that Xie Xun was an ominous harbinger of bad luck.
Although the Village Chief had never supported those claims, he hadn't stopped them either.
In a sense, by not stopping them, he had become an accomplice.
No wonder Xie Xun still held a grudge.
The Village Chief knew this visit was fruitless, so he stood up and said, "You may not need help now, but we're all living in the same village. There will be inconveniences eventually. When you're in trouble, just come and find me."
After the Village Chief left, Jiang Xiaoxiao came in from outside and said as she walked, "I know how to repair houses."
Afraid that Xie Xun wouldn't believe her, she emphasized again, "I really do know how."
As long as she didn't add "probably" in front, it meant she really knew.
Xie Xun gave Jiang Xiaoxiao a strange look, not understanding how a young lady who could burn a hole through a pot in the kitchen could also know how to repair houses.
"No need to repair," Xie Xun said. "As long as it doesn't leak when it rains and the feng shui is alright, it's fine."
The real value lies within, not on the surface. If he cared about appearances, he would have hired someone to renovate it a long time ago.
"Xie Xun! Xie Xun!" Chen Sixi's hoarse voice suddenly came from outside.
Xie Xun went out and saw the fellow, not knowing when he had arrived, looking excited.
"Found some money?" Xie Xun glanced at him.
Chen Sixi pondered for a moment, "More or less!"
Seeing that Xie Xun didn't intend to ask what good thing had happened to him, Chen Sixi pouted and had to explain himself.
"Although I really don't want to admit there were ghosts that night, your little stunt with the lady has completely spread throughout the county. Now everyone is looking for this master by your side to exorcise their homes!"
"Hey, hey, hey, Xie Xun, you're not going to refuse, are you? You're not going to refuse, right? Right?"
Xie Xun said, "I don't have time recently."
"No time?" Chen Sixi looked baffled. These two didn't study or farm, so when were they not free?
He thought Xie Xun was just being lazy.
So he went to ask Jiang Xiaoxiao, not forgetting to pour himself a cup of water to quench his thirst.
But Jiang Xiaoxiao also said she didn't have time.
"Why?" Chen Sixi was a little disappointed.
He was afraid of ghosts, but he loved watching Jiang Xiaoxiao perform exorcisms the most.
A true master is a true master, it was so impressive!
"I need to stay home," Jiang Xiaoxiao carefully recalled, "Oh yes, Xie Xun said it's called... what was it? Oh right, housekeeping."
"Pfft--" Chen Sixi sprayed out a mouthful of water.
Xie Xun, who had just stepped over the threshold with one foot: "!!!"
