Chapter 27: 27 Search
Editor: Atlas Studios

Gu Jiao closed the door of the room, “Tell me, what happened throughout the day?”

Gu Xiaoshun dutifully reported his care-giving experience.

It turned out that the old lady really couldn’t remember anything. When she woke up in Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang’s home, she thought she was part of the family. She snacked on some melon seeds, asking Gu Xiaoshun, “Which of those two unfilial sons is my grandson?”

Gu Xiaoshun, heeding his sister’s reminder, didn’t dare to tell the old lady that she had leprosy.

But he also couldn’t honestly say that his sister and brother-in-law were her biological grandchildren. Desperate, he blurted out, “You’re my sister-in-law’s great-aunt, and you’ve come a long way to pay her a visit.”

Gu Jiao had never expected that the old lady would not suffer from v dementia, so she didn’t give Xiaoshun a way to deal with the old lady.

“Then she asked why your sister seemed to be the head of the household. I said, ‘Isn’t that so? My brother-in-law is a man married into the wife’s family!’ She asked, ‘Why don’t I see anyone else in this married-into family?’ I told her, ‘You guys have divided up the family.’”

Hearing this, Gu Jiao sighed and rested her hand on her forehead. In whose world was she the head of the household? She and Xiao Liulang had always been busy with their own things, and they would occasionally team up to eat a meal, that was all.

What a goof, Xiaoshun has been fooled by the old lady.

No wonder the old lady has been criticizing the Gu Family nonstop. She totally got a comprehensive understanding of her enemy from Xiaoshun.

“Then why was she always ignoring me when I asked her things before?” It made Gu Jiao think that she was slow to react.

Gu Xiaoshun said, “She said you were not filial and didn’t want to bother with you.”

Gu Jiao: “…”

Wasn’t it just because she had a few less sweets to eat?’

Gu Jiao entered the living room and it was clear that Xiao Liulang has already talked with the old lady. Gu Jiao didn’t know what Xiao Liulang said, but the old lady seemed a bit deflated from their earlier conversation.

“I’m tired after the argument, I’m going to bed. Call me when dinner is ready,” the old lady huffed and went back to her room to rest, leaving Gu Jiao and the others alone in the room.

Gu Jiao turned to look at Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang paused before saying, “The doctor said before that the medicine must be taken according to the prescription for a year. But if recovery is quick, she will lose her infectiousness in a month.”

He didn’t insist on Gu Jiao allowing the old lady to stay. He just told Gu Jiao that she would soon no longer be contagious, hopefully persuading Gu Jiao to let her stay.

Gu Jiao was unaware that the stoic Xiao Liulang could be moved to pity a stranger.

Perhaps the old lady reminded him of his deceased elder brother.

“Alright, let the old lady stay for the time being,” Gu Jiao said with a look of resignation.

Anyways, she never intended to drive her away.

But returning him a favor wouldn’t be a bad idea.

The identity of the old woman as their grand-aunt was temporarily accepted by both. This seemed to be the safest solution for now.

Reality proved their decision was right, as that very night, a group of soldiers rushed into Qingquan Village, searching house to house for the patient who had escaped from Mafeng Mountain.

The only outsider in the village was the old lady. As soon as they learned she only arrived in the village recently, the soldiers raided Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang’s home without a second thought.

By the time the soldiers arrived, the old lady had finished eating and had gone indoors to warm herself by the fire. The couple was still seated at the table, eating their meal.

The dinner was rather sumptuous. Savoring the fragrant Stir-fried Bacon with Cabbage, the Scallion Egg Pancake, a pot of wild mushroom soup, a bowl of chilled fungus, and a dish of peanuts. Delicious indeed.

Of course, no one was drinking.

The appetizing aroma of the bacon and Scallion Egg Pancake filled the air, and immediately made the stomachs of the soldiers rumble.

“Gentlemen, can I help you?” Xiao Liulang asked.

The soldiers snapped back to reality and explained the situation, “We heard there is an old woman staying at your place, where is she?”

Xiao Liulang led them to the old lady’s room, “My great-aunt, she just came from Su County a few days ago.”

While talking he went over to pick up a dish the old woman didn’t have time to hide, “You’ve been sneaking sweets again, didn’t I tell you, too much sugar isn’t good for your age?”

The old lady snorted, feeling wronged, and turned her face away.

The soldiers didn’t have a sketch of the leprosy patient, but they were informed of her characteristics: mottled red patches on her face and the back of her hands, a waxen complexion, and poor spirit.

Besides her age, this old lady didn’t match any of the given characteristics.

Not only did she not have the leprous rash, her complexion was rosy and her spirit was incredibly lively.

Leprosy can’t be cured. There are some medicines that can slow the onset, but it’s absolutely impossible for one to recover so well within a mere ten days.

The suspicions of the officials soon disappeared. Seeing Xiao Liulang’s behavior towards the old lady showed no signs of avoidance or disgust, the officials were more convinced that she was not their suspect.

However, the commanding officer didn’t dare to be careless. He went to the kitchen, pointed at the medicinal jar on the stove, and asked, “Whose medicine is this?”

Xiao Liulang replied, “Mine, I have a leg injury. This is the medicine I got from the medical hall in the town.”

“Show me the medicine bag,” the officer ordered.

Gu Jiao brought the medicine bag over.

The officer opened a pack to find safflower inside.

Safflower is a commonly known herb for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Wool warriors are not unfamiliar with it. In addition, there was notoginseng, another common injury medicine. With these two herbs, it was pretty much certain that it was not for the treatment of leprosy.

“What is your name?” the officer asked.

“Xiao Liulang.” Xiao Liulang replied sternly. “If you have any doubts about my identity, you can check my household registration with the dean of Tianxiang Academy.”

The officer frowned, “The dean of Tianxiang Academy? Is his surname Li?”

“That’s right.” Xiao Liulang answered.

The officers exchanged glances, their attitudes towards Xiao Liulang becoming more courteous.

Generally speaking, you wouldn’t have to go to the dean for household registration. The fact that Xiao Liulang specifically mentioned him indicated that he was someone under Dean Li’s protection.

Although Xiao Liulang didn’t want to be Dean Li’s student, it didn’t prevent him from taking advantage of the correlation.

There was absolutely no pressure when he put on a thick face.

Dean Li’s reputation still worked quite effectively. After the officials asked a few routine questions, they withdrew and left.

However, the soldiers did not go far, but instead sent someone to secretly return and enter the home of Xue Ningxiang next door.

“Is the old lady next door really that lad’s relative?”

“Yes.”

“When did she arrive?”

“Just a few days ago,” Xue Ningxiang replied.

“I heard it was ten days ago?” the officer asked, staring intently into Xue Ningxiang’s eyes.

Xue Ningxiang defended, “Who told you that? How come I, as her neighbor, am not aware of this?”

The officer glanced at the one-year-old son Xue Ningxiang was holding, a cold light flashing in his eyes, but eventually he left.

Cold sweat soaked the back of Xue Ningxiang’s shirt.