Chapter 40 The Two Families Join Forces

Chapter 40 The Two Families Join Forces

"Big brother?" Jiang Yutang exclaimed in disbelief, her eyes instantly reddening.

She never imagined that the eldest brother in the book, who was always humble and polite, would put aside all his dignity and kneel down in the middle of nowhere for the sake of his family.

However, Cheng Lanzhou's family remained silent.

Cheng Lanzhou remained leaning against the tree trunk, the dry grass between her fingers twirling in circles, her eyes coldly fixed on Jiang Songzhi, who was kneeling on the ground.

Cheng Dai'er closed her eyes, making her expression unreadable, but her movements as she added firewood slowed down slightly.

Lin simply sat to one side, silently watching the scene unfold, remaining detached.

If they weren't in the middle of nowhere, Jiang Yutang even suspected that they could have nonchalantly served tea, as if watching a play that had nothing to do with them.

The calmer and more silent the other party remained, the more pathetic Jiang's kneeling appeared, as if they had thrown all their dignity on the ground to be trampled on.

A flood of emotions surged through Jiang Yutang's mind, like a tangled mess in her heart.

There was sorrow, sorrow that she was powerless to even protect her own family, the Jiang family. There was resentment, resentment that she had traveled across time and space to this unfamiliar era, only to end up in such a wretched state. And even more so, there was anger, anger at the Cheng Lanzhou family for their indifference, for they had helped them so much before, yet now they stood by and watched.

These emotions surged within Jiang Yutang, making her chest feel tight and constricted.

She took a deep breath, and with a sudden burst of strength, dragged Jiang Songzhi up from the ground. She raised her head, glared fiercely at Cheng Lanzhou, and then swept her gaze over Lin Shi and Cheng Daier. Her voice was as cold as ice.

"In the end, it's just that you haven't been threatened yet! Just like when you, Cheng Lanzhou, were seriously injured and Cheng Daier came to me crying for help, or when your family was in danger and asked others to ask me for help."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Daier's expression changed, and she subconsciously clenched the hem of her dress, her fingertips turning white from the force.

Lin finally raised her head, looking at Jiang Yutang with a complicated expression. Her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.

If it weren't for Jiang Yutang, the three members of the Cheng family would probably have perished along the way.

The air froze instantly, breaking the previous calm and silence. Cheng Lanzhou finally stopped picking up the dry grass from his fingertips, and looked up at Jiang Yutang, his eyes full of consideration.

The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Yutang sensed the tension in the air. At this critical juncture of life and death, a complete falling out with the Cheng family was far from a wise choice.

As reason gradually returned, her gaze swept over the dusty crumbs of dry biscuits scattered around the fire, then fell on Lin Shi and Cheng Dai'er's sunburnt cheeks, and suddenly an idea came to her.

She took a deep breath, took two steps forward, and stopped just an arm's length away from Cheng Lanzhou. She leaned down slightly and deliberately lowered her voice to ensure that only the three members of the Cheng family could hear her.

"I can guarantee that your family will not have to eat these moldy dry biscuits along the way, and will have hot food to fill their stomachs. If anyone falls ill along the way, whether it is a cold or something else, I will do my best to treat them without hesitation. We are still a long way from Danzhou, and there are many hardships and dangers on the road ahead. You may want to think it over carefully."

These words sounded like a discussion, but the tone carried an undeniable confidence. It was less a suggestion and more a veiled threat.

Jiang Yutang guessed that although the coarse grains and dry biscuits were hard to swallow, the Cheng family might be able to endure them. However, if someone fell ill along the way, on this exile route where medical care and medicine were scarce, even a common cold, let alone a serious illness, could take their life.

The modern medicine she held in her hand was the "lifeline" that the Cheng family needed most.

Cheng Lanzhou clearly understood her meaning. A flash of ferocity appeared in his originally indifferent eyes, like a wild beast whose scales had been touched, carrying a dangerous sense of oppression.

Jiang Yutang felt her hair stand on end from that gaze, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on her back, but she still forced herself to straighten her back and meet his gaze.

If she backs down now, she will lose this one and only opportunity.

The two stared at each other, as if invisible sparks were colliding in the air. The firewood in the bonfire crackled, breaking the brief stalemate.

After a moment, Cheng Lanzhou was the first to withdraw his gaze, slowly straightening his body. His voice was still cold, but with a hint of compromise: "I accept your proposal."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yutang finally felt relieved, her tense body instantly relaxed, and even her breathing became much easier.

She pulled a dagger from her bosom, which she had bought in town specifically to keep for self-defense, but now she handed it to Cheng Lanzhou with a hint of apology in her voice.

"I apologize for being too harsh and pushing you too hard just now. I know you don't have any suitable weapons on you. Take this and use it for self-defense on the road, just in case."

Cheng Lanzhou glanced at the dagger, took it without a word, held it in his hand, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said only, "Be careful in everything."

Jiang Songzhi, who had been standing at the back, gradually came to his senses and looked at Jiang Yutang's back with a dazed expression.

He didn't hear their conversation, only that Cheng Lanzhou suddenly agreed. Even as he turned to leave with Jiang Yutang, he was still filled with mixed emotions.

Cheng Lanzhou stood there, looking at the dagger in her hand, her fingertips gently stroking the cold handle, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her.

It's like being slapped hard across the face, but then immediately offered a piece of candy, preventing him from truly harboring hatred.

Cheng Dai'er walked to his side and asked softly, "Lan Zhou, do we really want to join forces with them?"

Cheng Lanzhou looked up in the direction the Jiang family members had left, gave a soft "hmm," but the emotions in her eyes remained deep and unreadable.

"The Jiang family is still useful."

On the way back, Jiang Songzhi couldn't help but ask, "Little sister, you gave the dagger to Cheng Lanzhou. What should we do if we encounter danger here?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yutang winked mischievously, took out a small cloth bag from her bosom, and gently opened it. Inside lay two small folding knives, their blades tucked into the handles, looking exquisite yet sharp.

"Don't worry, brother, I still have some."

Cheng Lanzhou was naturally suspicious, so she deliberately gave the other party a dagger that was common in this era, which showed her sincerity without revealing her special nature.

Jiang Songzhi looked at the folding knife he had never seen before, raised an eyebrow in surprise, and then smiled helplessly: "You've thought of everything."

When the brother and sister returned to their campsite, they found several figures still sitting by the campfire. None of their family members were asleep; they were gathered around the nearly extinguished fire, glancing back in the direction they had returned from time to time.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Jiang Songzhi stepped forward, somewhat surprised.

Yun stood up with a smile, patted Jiang Yutang's arm, and said with concern, "How can we sleep when you two are secretly doing your business?"

Jiang Yutang felt a warmth in her heart. It turned out that her family had guessed that they had gone to negotiate with Cheng Lanzhou's family, so they had been waiting here for news.