Chapter 6 Taking the Initiative

Chapter 6 Taking the Initiative

An uninvited guest from Nanyang turned her peaceful life, which was only occasionally turbulent, into a melodramatic family drama with constant upheavals.

Then, Xie Wanniang, the key figure right at the center of the storm, was murdered yesterday.

In a moment of crisis, she jumped into the Tang River to escape, but the other side was relentless. They had horses and chased Xie Wanniang along the riverbank for a long time, so she could only drift downstream.

Fortunately, a horse's stamina is not limitless, and not every place along the riverbank is suitable for a horse to run or for people to keep watch from a high vantage point.

With the help of the river, the knowledge and skills she had acquired in her previous life, and the intricate environment along the riverbank that helped her escape the pursuers' sight and block their horses, Xie Wanniang, relying on her calm mind and abundant physical strength, finally managed to escape this murder.

In order to completely shake off the pursuers, she gritted her teeth, endured the cold, and deliberately drifted further downstream for a while longer.

She's safe now, but other troubles have arisen.

In her attempt to escape, the hairpin she used to hold her hair, the two earrings she wore, and the purse containing loose silver coins at her waist were all swept away by the river and disappeared without a trace. In an instant, she went from being a well-bred young lady from a scholarly family to a pitiful girl adrift and penniless.

Well, saying she "has nothing" isn't quite accurate; she actually still has some debt on her hands. ┓(′`)┏

Making a self-deprecating joke amidst her misery, Xie Wanniang stretched and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down and get back into rational mode using a familiar method.

It's just that she's left her familiar living environment and has to start all over again. It's not like it's the first time she's encountered something like this.

As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect," she refused to believe that she couldn't settle down in Mingfu Village and start a new life.

What? Go back to the Xie family?

No, she's not going back.

Having barely escaped death, she would be a fool to willingly offer herself up and give others the opportunity to manipulate her life.

Having made up her mind, Xie Wanniang began to plan how to survive in Mingfu Village.

First, she needs to have a household registration, and then she has to rely on her own abilities to solve practical problems such as food, clothing, and accommodation.

Hmm, I wonder if Jiang Yuan, who kindly rescued her and prevented her from having any further contact with disgusting bastards like Wang Sanhu as soon as she got ashore, would be willing to keep her in his home after she recovers...

No, she had to take advantage of the time before the other party kicked her out to actively build a good relationship with them.

Thinking of it, Xie Wanniang went out of the house and strolled to the kitchen door to watch Jiang Yuan pluck the chicken's feathers.

Jiang Yuan moved very quickly, clearly someone who was used to doing these kinds of things.

His fingers were long and slender, and his movements were agile. The small section of his arm that was exposed had smooth and firm lines. As Xie Wanniang looked at him, her gaze unconsciously drifted from his hands to his arms, shoulders, back, and legs.

She wasn't harboring any wicked intentions, but rather... Jiang Yuan's physique looked so strong, so suitable for farming, which made her, a down-on-her-luck heiress desperately needing to find a new job after being laid off, envious!

Jiang Yuan felt very uncomfortable under her gaze, and his originally smooth and natural movements gradually became mechanical and stiff.

Xie Wanniang quickly noticed Jiang Yuan's unnatural movements. While secretly amused, she took the initiative to start a conversation with Jiang Yuan.

"Can I call you A-Yuan like Sister Xiao-Zhi does?"

Jiang Yuan looked up at her, his eyes filled with undisguised confusion and surprise.

Xie Wanniang tilted her head, "Is it not allowed?"

“Okay.” Jiang Yuan lowered his head and looked away.

Xie Wanniang pressed on, "I'm sixteen this year, how about you?"

"fifteen."

This time, Jiang Yuan didn't even raise his head.

Xie Wanniang looked surprised, "You're only fifteen? You've grown this tall at fifteen?"

According to her estimation, Jiang Yuan was at least a head taller than her; by modern standards, he would be at least 1.8 meters tall.

This was a height that even her uncles couldn't match. When they were growing up, they were all sons of officials, and their diet was already top-notch for that era.

Although the most important factor affecting a person's height is genetics rather than diet, the problem is that Jiang Yuan is only fifteen years old.

A fifteen-year-old boy living in an ancient rural village during a time of war should not have grown so quickly, given the combined effects of environment, food, exercise, and sleep, even if both his parents were tall.

Jiang Yuan was already used to people making a fuss about his height. He just grunted in response and didn't explain anything.

Xie Wanniang was not discouraged. Although the young man was not very talkative, he was always willing to answer questions. In her opinion, he was actually quite easy to get along with.

She gathered her skirt and squatted down across the wooden basin from Jiang Yuan. "Thank you for saving me and taking me in. I will try to pay you back the money I spent on food, clothing, and medical treatment once I recover."

Jiang Yuan paused for a moment, then looked up and said, "The village head said he can try to help you send a message to your family."

Xie Wanniang's pretty face scrunched up.

Oh no! She tried to get close to Jiang Yuan so that he would take her in for a while longer, but he actually offered to help her contact her family.

Good heavens, what is she supposed to do now?

Faced with the choice between feigning amnesia and telling the truth, Xie Wanniang ultimately chose to tell the truth: "Never mind. To be honest, I didn't fall into the water by accident this time. I jumped into the Tang River on my own initiative to avoid trouble."

Jiang Yuan was shocked, but he quickly remembered some strange things he had overlooked before. "You can swim?"

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to be pulled out of the water while fully conscious, nor would she have recovered so quickly and had the energy to wander around the yard.

Xie Wanniang nodded with a smile, "This is my little secret."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan immediately promised, "I won't tell anyone."

Xie Wanniang's smile held a hint of mischief. "Doctor Chen should have figured it out too. If the villagers who were there at the time had thought about it more deeply, they should have been able to guess pretty accurately."

Therefore, whether he keeps the secret or not, her secret is destined to be exposed.

Jiang Yuan: ......

Xie Wanniang looked at him and said, "What I'm trying to say is that those who want to harm me don't know I can swim, and they don't expect me to be able to stay in the river for so long. So even if they look for me, they will only look in the area not far from where I fell into the water, and they won't come all the way to Mingfu Village."

The implication was that although I was almost killed, I had managed to shake off the enemy's pursuit through my own efforts and would not cause trouble for you or the villagers.

Jiang Yuan understood. He paused for a moment, then said, "Don't worry."

A question mark slowly appeared on Xie Wanniang's forehead.

She stared at Jiang Yuan, who was speaking incoherently.

So what exactly is she not worried about? Is it that he'll drive her away? Or is it that she won't be hunted down again?