一夜情

“Well, it ain’t always a blessing to work for rich people, huh?” she thought to herself.

But since Yuan Hui didn’t say anything, Zhao Chuchu didn’t think to inquire so much.

After everything was unloaded, Yuan Hui let them go and waited for her in the city.

!!

When they were far gone, Yuan Hui pulled Zhao Chuchu to the bench and sat down with her.

“I actually wanted to come and thank you in person a long time ago, but there were just too many things at home for me to handle. If I don’t solve them, I can’t live for myself, so I hope you won’t blame me.” Yuan Hui added, “I used to be naive and thought I had to be kind to people, and then…”

Speaking of this, Yuan Hui laughed sarcastically. “I guess we won’t know better until we suffered a setback. Chuchu, thank you so much for saving me. But for you, I would be dead, let alone think to avenge myself.”

“It’s all God’s plan.” Zhao Chuchu raised her chin. “Give me your hand. Let me check your pulse.”

Yuan Hui gave her hand to Zhao Chuchu.

The Yuan clan dealt with the salt business. They were not short of money at all, so Yuan Hui recovered well.

“You’re in good shape without any after-effects.” Zhao Chuchu said to Yuan Hui, “It won’t affect you in the future.”

“Well, the doctor in Guangqing Province said so too.” Yuan Hui continued, “Chuchu, I have one more favor to ask of you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Is there a medicine that can make people gradually become disabled?”

“You want this medicine?”

“No, I just want to ask about it.”

“There is, of course, but it is not easy to make it.”

“Is it true that after consuming this medicine, one will unknowingly turn into an invalid?”

“Yes.”

“Then, this person will die?”

“We have to see if the drug is administered continuously. If it only turns a person into an invalid and no more drugs are used afterward, he can still live for a few more years. If the medicine is carefully and cleverly prepared, a person will not know he is drugged until he dies.”

Yuan Hui frowned slightly. “What if it’s an old man?”

“Old people? Then, I’m afraid they won’t last a few years. What’s wrong? Why do you ask this?”

“I’m not sure if it is the case, but my grandmother’s condition is getting worse and worse when she was perfectly healthy two years ago. Now, she is bedridden. She needs to be tended to in everything.

“At first, I didn’t think that much, but in the past few months, I have discovered quite a few secrets. Chuchu, can you please make a trip to Guangqing Province and help me take a look at my grandmother?”

Speaking of this, Yuan Hui’s tone was already tinged with a hint of pleading.

Zhao Chuchu thought for a moment. “Then, can you tell me about your grandmother’s condition now? The more details, the better. It’s also better if you tell me what happened all these years.”

Yuan Hui was relieved, so she talked about the condition of her grandmother in detail.

Yuan Hui’s grandfather died early. His concubines had been having their eyes on the fortune of the family. It was her grandmother that kept everything going properly so that the Yuan clan was not falling apart.

Her grandmother had always been the pillar of the Yuan Clan.

Yuan Hui’s father was the eldest son of Old Mrs. Yuan, and after he got married and his wife gave birth to Yuan Hui, Old Mrs. Yuan gradually handed over the Yuan clan’s business to him.

He was so busy that he neglected Yuan Hui’s mother, and when Yuan Hui’s mother was pregnant with her second child, she miscarried due to lack of care and eventually died of depression.

Later, when Yuan Hui was seven years old, Yuan Hui’s father married his second wife.

This woman was quite a tactful one.

Within two months of entering the family, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and a year later, she gave birth to a pair of twin sons.

Unfortunately, however, Yuan Hui’s father died in an accident.

Old Mrs. Yuan’s heart was broken, so Yuan Hui’s stepmother started to intervene in the Yuan clan’s business.

The Yuan clan was never completely handed over to Yuan Hui’s stepmother, and Old Mrs. Yuan was always on guard against her.

Her stepmother was also very diligent and patient. She never complained once and treated Yuan Hui in the way she did before.

If Yuan Hui had not been persuaded by her stepmother to come to her aunt’s home in Yuanjiang County and had not been nearly killed, Yuan Hui would not have been able to see her for what she really was.

Yuan Hui’s father died five years ago, but Old Mrs. Yuan’s health deteriorated only two years ago. At the moment, she was lying in bed, unable to move her hands or speak. She couldn’t even keep a clear mind.

Yuan Hui’s stepmother found many famous doctors to treat Old Mrs. Yuan and also told others that she would not have been able to raise three sons without the support of Old Mrs. Yuan.

“What accident did your father die in?”

“Well, he was robbed outside the town and was hacked to death. The government also investigated and caught the gang of bandits, and they confessed.”

“What did your grandmother say about this?”

“It was my grandmother who personally went there to deal with it.”

Zhao Chuchu pondered for a moment.

It seemed to her that this kind of murder was more often than not planned out.

Since the Yuan clan was influential in Guangqing Province, the Yuan clan was not an ordinary family. They should see this coming before their family was killed.

“Do you know your stepmother well?”

“Her father was a scholar. Originally, she was to be my father’s concubine, but my grandmother said she could not insult the scholar’s daughter. Since her family is a decent one, she became my father’s second wife.”

“So, is there anything wrong with her?”

“No. If there was, my grandmother would have found out long ago.”

Zhao Chuchu, however, didn’t say anything. Sometimes, old people were more thoughtful when making decisions.

...

Maybe it wasn’t that she didn’t know, but she couldn’t say.

“Then, your grandmother didn’t have an unusual attitude toward her either?”

“No.”

Yuan Hui shook her head.

“That’s strange.” Zhao Chuchu added, “Your grandmother is sick for no reason and has been having her body checked on a regular basis. How come there is no relief at all?”

“That’s why I find it strange and want to ask you to take a look. You can rest assured. You will get what you deserve.”

“I’m not talking about payment. I just saw that you don’t have much patience with that woman. Is she your stepmother’s servant?”

“Well, I went back this time and had an argument with her too. She is very defensive of me these days.”

“Then, how can you have the courage to come to Yuanjiang County? You’ve really got guts!”

Yuan Hui smiled bitterly. “Although the family power is in her hands now, many elderly people are taking orders only from my grandmother. They know that my grandmother loves me, so they’re not that strict with me.”

Zhao Chuchu said, “But I can’t go away for now. I have to wait for a few days. Can your grandmother wait?”

...

“Yes, the doctor said that my grandmother has at least one year to live. We’ll wait till you’re done. Chuchu, I’m really helpless this time, or I wouldn’t have come to you for help.”

“Consider this as a favor you owe me. But don’t worry, I’m going to need you to return the favor too.”