Chapter 220: But She Is Still an Unmarried Maiden

In the past few years, she has saved a few tens of thousands of taels of silver.

Her modest life is going well, but it's a bit lonely.

Soon, however, she met a handsome young man in Fucheng, whose family were also itinerant merchants.

The only drawback was that the man was already married and already had a son and a daughter.

Lu Ruxin originally did not want to entangle with such a man, but she couldn't resist his pursuit, and the two ended up cohabiting; in ancient times this was called an unmediated illicit union.

It was still in her house, as if she were the man's kept concubine.

Fortunately, Lu Ruxin wasn't foolish; she followed Momo's advice and after each sexual encounter drank a bowl of Contraception Soup, and to this day remains childless, still clutching her silver tightly.

She continued to pretend to be poor in front of the man, constantly asking him for money to spend.

It seems she was scared after being deceived; even if she meets a man who excites her, she won't easily give her heart.

Qian Town Mayor, angry, clutched his waist and cursed loudly, only then feeling a little better.

"What's up?"

"But she's still an unmarried maiden."

Qian Town Mayor stepped forward and embraced her, "Finally this day has arrived. Qiao Niang is a capable woman; later I'll go to her to ask for some medicine, nurture your health, and strive to have a son and a daughter for me—then our efforts won't have been in vain."

"Don't worry, your husband Xianggong, I'm thick‑skinned; from now on I'll handle any requests to her, and I'll repay her kindness myself."

"Sir, what's going on with you?"

"Lao Qian, you're really great!"

Qiao Mai gave her a set of shampoo and conditioner, and also a skin‑care set, making Ruyi overjoyed.

Qiao Mai raised an eyebrow, "At her age, if she became pregnant, she'd be an elderly expectant; can you bear to have her endure hardship at that age?"

"In my eyes, she's still young, okay? It's wonderful, wonderful that the child arrives; that means we both haven't waited in vain for so long."

He heard she had ambiguously slept with that man, got so angry he wanted to confront her, but Qian Town Mayor stopped him.

"You're overthinking it; don't feel you owe her too much. Between friends, it's you help me, I help you."

"I'm cursing that bunch of worthless dogs."

"Sir, come, come, have a steaming cup of milk tea; I'm not angry, why are you?"

"I'll follow your lead."

When word spread that the child wouldn't be allowed, some people caused a ruckus at the school; upon hearing this, Qian Town Mayor, furious, immediately led his guards over, seized the troublemakers and threw them into the County Jail.

"After the New Year I'll propose; there must be a process, I won't withhold anything she deserves. March 28 is a good day; we'll marry then, and I'll send you a notice."

Since the year‑end holiday is approaching, Qin Yide gave the students an exam; for outstanding students, Qiao Mai will provide rewards.

He stood at the school gate, shouting profanities toward Guan Dao, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

Those who only came to the school to loaf will no longer be allowed once the holiday starts.

"Then treat her well, sincerely; Qiao Niang is a good person and will feel your affection."

Qian Town Mayor stiffened his neck, "It's a must."

"That man, can you afford to provoke him?"

"Ah, that's their fault."

Rare items like this are given by a master to their closest people, indicating the master regards her as his dearest.

"But in the eyes of the world, she's already a Divorce by Mutual Consent woman, no longer an unmarried maiden."

"Enough about them; have you set the wedding date with San Niang?"

In the blink of an eye the New Year approaches; Ruyi delivered two sets of winter clothes to Qiao Mai, along with matching boots.

Qiao Mai happened to step out; she sat in front of Qiao Ji Puzi, waving at him.

First place, one hundred jin of white flour; Second Place, fifty jin of white flour; third place, fifty jin of Cornmeal.

Since Qiao Mai saved his life, his exclusive protection of Qiao Mai surpasses his exclusive protection of San Niang.

"I always feel I'm undeserving of this favor."

"Then I, as a mother figure, just watch her suffer?"

"It's already like this; let her struggle. If it escalates beyond control, we'll step in for her."

The school's enrollment grew from a dozen to thirty students; the two shops have been connected, accommodating up to fifty students.

"San Niang, after the New Year I'll go to your house to propose; March 28 is a good day—shall we marry?"

Lu Sanniang, upon hearing this, immediately lowered her head and gave a gentle nod.

Lovers finally become a family; aside from not sharing a bed at night, they'll be together almost all other times.

"We owe her so much; now that I see her, I feel ashamed to face her."

"The child has her own stubborn ideas; if she could be persuaded, the outcome wouldn't have been that way. She won't turn back once she's set. Fortunately there's no child, and her silver remains in her own hands, so you needn't be too anxious."

Qian Town Mayor is also at a loss over this Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl; the key is the child won't listen, and intervening now would be futile—she'd only bear a deeper grudge.

A bunch of shameless troublemakers—no wonder people say the kind are taken advantage of, the good horse is ridden. Qiao Niang's benevolence is seen as her duty; may those who mock her starve to death.

Lu Sanniang naturally knows her affairs; once Qian Town Mayor recovers, she'll have him send people to investigate, because knowing is worse than not knowing.

"I can't provoke them; my Qian Family can. This time I saved the elder brother; he'll surely return the favor."

"From now on wherever I go, you go; don't fear, I'll be there."

"What gift do you want? I'll grant you one, as long as I can fulfill it."

The attendant hurried two cups of milk tea; Qian Town Mayor sat opposite her.

"My lingering knot is still with the maiden; what she did makes me ashamed to face Qiao girl."

For each advancing student, ten jin of Cornmeal per person.

"If you wish to open a shop later, do so; if not, stay home and help with chores. I won't restrict your freedom, nor will you have to watch the Qian Family's moods. When we marry, I won't address any of the Qian Family; what do you think?"

It's not that he has feelings for Qiao Niang; he believes fate outweighs all—his life was given by Qiao Mai, so he must protect her with his very life.

Jixiang School sends out a batch of students before taking in a batch; it isn't recruited every year, otherwise Qin Yide would be exhausted to death by himself.

Once she hands over her body, she has to scrape up some money, and now she feels most at ease about money.

"What's the matter? Stop playing dumb, damn it, you say a woman runs a school—it's not easy. She not only has to supervise the children's studies, but also provide a meal at noon. These grandsons come to the school; if they don't study, it's just for that meal. If you don't study, why are you here? After a year they can't even recognize a big character—what are they doing instead of going home? Still worrying about your meals? Still daring to cause trouble, I won't let them die."

"That's good, that's good."

Since Qin Yide passed the imperial examination, Qiao Mai's stipend for him grew from ten taels a month to fifty taels of silver, and the School's reputation swelled because he is a jinshi.

"They only see your kindness and deliberately bully you, damn it, it's infuriating—eating and drinking for free without studying, causing trouble in the School. They should have been turned away, yet they still dare to pick a fight; I just threw them straight into the Prison."

"Hehe, I think your medicine is pretty good, so help me treat San Niang's body, hoping she'll give me a son and a daughter."

"I bound them and threw them into the Government Office Jail. From now on, anyone who—damn it—gets a little fame but not enough, suffers the loss; whoever that is will spend a few days in the Prison. Damn, Qiao Niang still owes you all this, yet still dares to cause trouble. Qiao Niang is the great benefactor of our town; now that the disaster has just passed, they've forgotten her kindness, shameless scum."

"He's a man."

Seeing Mayor Qian's red‑eyed circles, Qiao Mai knew she couldn't continue speaking.

"Later I'll see if there are any suitable tonic pills."

"So you'll take care of her body then?"

"Alright!"

(End of Chapter)