The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 878 - 856 Eavesdropping

Chapter 878: Chapter 856 Eavesdropping

Bai Shan frowned and said, "We had just been at the Qi Family’s place, so it wouldn’t have been appropriate to ask about the exact location of their other courtyard. We only know it’s about twenty miles outside the west city gate. To confirm it, we’ll need Erji to take a look for himself."

Manbao said, "Erji can’t leave the house now, can he?"

Bai Shan: "We’ll go find a map and bring it back for him to look at."

Manbao then turned her head to look at him.

Bai Shan coughed lightly, clutching his stomach with a pained expression, "I feel like my stomach hurts a bit, and I’m not very comfortable. You prescribe some medicine for me; I’m going to rest at home for a couple of days."

Manbao peeked outside carefully and lowered her voice, "Be careful, or the teacher will settle the score with you."

Bai Shan winked at her and whispered, "If you don’t say anything, and I don’t say anything, who’s to know?"

Just then, Bai Erlang, who had come to look for them, poked his head through the window and said in a ghostly tone, "...I know now."

Manbao and Bai Shan, who were conspiring together, jumped in fright, turning their panicked faces to the window. Only when they saw Bai Erlang did they breathe a sigh of relief.

Then, both of them couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger well up inside.

Bai Shan rolled up his sleeves, jumped onto a chair, and reached out to grab him through the window. Bai Erlang agilely jumped back and pointed at him, yelling, "If you dare bully me, I’ll tell the teacher!"

Mr. Zhuang had just put down his book and was about to return to his own room from the study. Upon hearing the commotion, he stopped at the doorway and asked, "Tell me what?"

Bai Shan made urgent throat-slitting gestures at Bai Erlang through the window, but Bai Erlang just smiled triumphantly at Bai Shan before calling back loudly to Mr. Zhuang, "Nothing, Teacher. We’re just playing around."

Mr. Zhuang then returned to his room, saying, "I’m going to sleep."

Bai Erlang responded, then dashed off to Manbao’s room, pushed the door open, and barged in.

He leaned against the screen, looking at both of them with an ’I’ve got you now’ expression and hummed, "So you two actually plan to cheat and skip school. I heard everything."

Manbao asked, "What do you want to do about it?"

Bai Erlang said, "Tonight it’s my turn to bring Teacher his foot bath water."

Manbao looked at Bai Shan, who clenched his teeth and said, "I’ll do it."

Bai Erlang then turned his eyeballs and said, "You have to tell me where you’re skipping school to, otherwise I’ll go tell the teacher."

Bai Shan frowned, and Manbao said, "We can’t tell you, you can’t keep a secret."

"Who says?" Bai Erlang retorted, "I absolutely won’t tell the teacher, I swear."

After a moment’s thought, Manbao said, "He’s going with me to the Guan Family for a medical visit."

Bai Erlang scratched his head and asked, "Who’s the Guan Family?"

"He’s a patient of Doctor Ji. Has a severe headache," she explained.

Bai Erlang grew even more confused, "What does that have to do with Shanbao?"

Manbao and Bai Shan both choked for a moment. Right, this seemingly had nothing to do with Bai Shan.

Bai Erlang stared at them with wide eyes.

Bai Shan blinked and couldn’t help saying, "Anyway, I promised Guan Erlang I would go. I have to keep my word."

"Even if it means asking for leave? You got so close to him after just one meeting?" Bai Erlang said with surprise, "We’re already so friendly with Qi Jue, but when we asked you to take leave to attend his birthday feast, you refused. You..."

Bai Erlang paused and then declared, "No way, I have to go see what kind of person he is for myself."

Bai Shan and Manbao: ...

Bai Erlang stared at them and threatened, "If you dare refuse, I won’t keep your secret."

Bai Shan frowned and asked, "You have school, how will you go?"

Bai Erlang looked at Manbao and said, "However you’re going, I’ll go the same way."

Manbao and Bai Shan: ...

Both exclaimed in unison, "No way!"

Bai Shan lowered his voice and said, "I only plan to ask the school for leave, but I don’t intend to tell the teacher."

Bai Erlang replied, "Then I won’t tell the teacher either."

Manbao and Bai Shan then looked at him with a gaze reserved for idiots, "Are you dumb? Mr. Zhuang has a class at the academy tomorrow."

If one were to miss a class at the academy, especially one for their own class, how could the teacher not know?

Bai Erlang glared at them and, after a long pause, walked into the room and sat down on a chair with a huff, "You come up with a plan."

Bai Shan turned to leave, "I’ll go bring the teacher some water first."

After speaking, he gave Manbao a meaningful glance and walked out.

Manbao and Bai Erlang were left in the room, staring at each other. A quarter of an hour later, Bai Shan came out to pour out the foot-washing water, washed his hands, and came back into the room looking proud, "I’ve already confessed to the teacher, and he has agreed to let me go."

Bai Erlang wore a look of disbelief, "I don’t believe you."

"If you don’t believe me, you can ask the teacher yourself. I also told him how you threatened us."

Bai Erlang’s mouth fell open, staring at Bai Shan, speechless.

Bai Shan stepped aside, clearing a path for him, and asked with raised eyebrows, "Are you going or not?"

Bai Erlang huffed in frustration and stood up to leave.

Manbao gave him a sympathetic look from behind and then quietly gave Bai Shan a thumbs up.

Of course, Bai Shan had no intention of telling Mr. Zhuang; he himself was slipping out of class.

The only one who knew he was skipping class was Daji. Of course, he didn’t actually skip the next day, as it wasn’t the time for Old Master Guan’s consultation yet.

Bai Shan took the prescription from Manbao’s hand and handed it to Daji, telling him to ask the academy for a day off tomorrow, as he would still attend classes today.

Bai Shan said, "Today just think about what you’re going to say to Doctor Ji. After school this afternoon, I’ll join you to talk to County Magistrate Tang. If he finds it inconvenient to look into the Guan family, we’ll take the opportunity tomorrow to ask around more."

Manbao nodded, "I’ll go ask Doctor Ji about the Guan family today. He’s been treating Old Master Guan for over a decade; he must be very familiar with him."

Bai Shan nodded in agreement, and the two parted at the doorway.

As Bai Shan turned to board the carriage, Bai Erlang, who had been sneakily (or rather openly) peering out from beside the window, swiftly dropped the curtain and settled himself inside.

Bai Shan got into the carriage, then stared at him.

Bai Erlang, feeling uneasy, asked, "What’s wrong?"

Bai Shan spoke with a solemn expression, "Do you remember when you peeped through County Magistrate Tang’s windows at the temple fair?"

Bai Erlang let out an "Ah" of surprise, not understanding why he was suddenly bringing that up, and nodded.

Bai Shan continued, "After we returned to town, we visited County Magistrate Tang, and he said something."

"What did he say?"

"He said that people with strong curiosity often face more hardships," Bai Shan placed a hand on Bai Erlang’s shoulder, earnestly saying, "Junior Brother, if you want a smooth life, shouldn’t you curb your curiosity?"

Bai Erlang shook off his hand, irritated, "I’m a year older than you, okay?"

He said reluctantly, "We three grew up together. I’ve never hidden anything from you guys, so why do you have to keep secrets from me?"

Bai Shan remained silent.

Bai Erlang huffed and turned his head away, giving him the cold shoulder.

After a while, Bai Shan said, "Alright, if you can figure out why we want to go to the Guan family, I’ll tell you everything."

Bai Erlang started to ponder, frowning.