C5 Why Didn't You Say so Earlier?

Nangong Han remained silent.

"Fifty dollars!" Xuanniang gritted her teeth. She had no real concept of money, only knowing from the previous owner's memories that a family's annual expenses in the village were about five dollars.

"I was actually planning to give you a thousand dollars, but since you asked for fifty, I'll give you fifty," Nangong Han said expressionlessly, ordering someone to bring the fifty dollars. The round, shiny silver coins looked particularly appealing, but Xuanniang was so angry she could hardly stand it.

This guy's got a dark heart! If he was going to give a thousand, why didn't he say so earlier?!

Xuanniang tucked the coins into her worn-out purse, her face beaming with a smile. "Thank you, sir. I'll be on my way then." With that, she hurried off, afraid that if she looked at Nangong Han any longer, she'd lose her temper.

This money was an unexpected windfall. Xuanniang was initially in a good mood, but Nangong Han's mention of a thousand dollars ruined it. She worked hard to calm herself, reminding herself that money would always come as long as she kept working hard...

By the time she returned to the Zhao family, it was already past noon.

"You worthless thing, you still know how to come back? Why didn't you just die out there?" Mrs. Sunn fumed as soon as she saw Xuanniang. "You were gone all night. Were you off sneaking around with some man again?"

"Mrs. Sunn, don't be mad. Xuanniang was taken by the village chief. I heard some official wanted to question her because someone died up on the mountain!" a passing villager interjected, looking at Xuanniang with a mix of fear and suspicion, as if she were a criminal.

Mrs. Sunn's eyes widened suddenly, and she took a small step back, trying hard not to show her panic. Just as she reached out to strike Xuanniang, an image flashed in her mind of Xuanniang approaching her with a large knife the day before.

Could it be that Xuanniang really committed murder?

Mrs. Sunn's mind raced. "Erhua, wait for me. I need to go to the village chief's place to trade for some eggs..." she said, quickly grabbing a basket and some freshly picked vegetables before hurrying off with it.

Xuanniang chuckled to herself and turned to head back into the yard, only to find Xu Fangfang watching her with a somewhat vacant expression. Xu Fangfang spoke hesitantly, "Xuanniang, you're back. Are you hungry?"

"A little, yes. Thank you for asking," Xuanniang replied with a smile, realizing she hadn't eaten since waking up.

Xu Fangfang took two roasted sweet potatoes from the stove and handed them to Xuanniang. "We haven't had much money lately... By the way, what did the village chief want with you?"

"Someone died on the mountain, and they wanted to ask me about it. Sister-in-law, didn't you hear what Aunt Erhua said earlier?" Xuanniang peeled the hot sweet potato, taking a small bite. The sweet, sticky flavor mingled with the warm aroma, making her mouth water.

Perhaps it was because she was used to modern delicacies, or maybe it was just that she was starving after a long day, but Xuanniang found the meal particularly delicious.

"So, what do you have to say?... Oh, I should have kept an eye on you that night, stopped you from going out. I just didn't expect you to be so bold, going out at night without worrying about what people might say," Fangfang said, clearly exasperated.

Xuanniang didn't respond immediately, taking another bite of her sweet potato. Just then, Zhao Hao returned.

Zhao Hao was Fangfang's husband and the older brother of Xuanniang's late husband. Xuanniang usually called him "big brother." She stood up, following her memory, and greeted him, "Big brother."

Zhao Hao walked in carrying two wild rabbits. He was on the shorter side, Xuanniang estimated him to be about 5'3". However, years of farm work had made his muscles solid, like iron. He had a simple, honest look typical of someone from the countryside.

Yet, Xuanniang couldn't help but recall how Zhao Hao had treated the original owner of her body...

"Xuanniang, I caught two rabbits. I'll cook them for dinner tonight," Zhao Hao said cheerfully as he approached. "Were you worn out yesterday?"

There was an implied suggestion in his words.

Fangfang discreetly pinched Zhao Hao, and with some reluctance, he turned and went back inside.

Zhao Hao might look simple and honest, but he's actually quite the bold character. Xuanniang smirked inwardly as she recalled something and said to Xu Fangfang, "Sister, to be honest, I had no choice but to go out that night."

"Oh?" Xu Fangfang seemed intrigued and asked, "Why's that?"

Xuanniang bit her lip and replied, "Lately, I haven't been sleeping well. Sometimes, late at night, I see someone leaving our yard... It scares me to death, and I can't shake the feeling that our home isn't safe. That's why I decided to step out for some air that night, but I didn't expect to run into trouble."

Xu Fangfang's eyes showed a hint of skepticism. "Ran into trouble?"

"I won't go into the details, as it involves an ongoing investigation. But seeing someone leave the yard at night unsettles me. Usually, no matter what happens, I wouldn't step out after dark."

The implication was clear: something significant had occurred that night, prompting Xuanniang to leave.