Chapter 56 Rumors and Slander

  Yang Fan returned to the Xiwen Workshop and first went to Jiang Xuan's home. As soon as he saw Yang Fan, Jiang Xuan excitedly said: "Xiao Fan, this time I really have to thank you. Yesterday, I wanted to come and thank you, but it was getting late and I didn't see you return, so I went back home first. I planned to go today after finishing my work..."

  Yang Fan smiled and said, "Ning sister, you're being too polite. I'm truly treating you as my own elder sister. If my sister has something on her mind, how can I, as a younger brother, just stand by and do nothing? Let's not mention the word 'thank' again."

  Mianpian'er was overjoyed with tears in her eyes, wiping them non-stop with her sleeves. After hearing Yang Fan's words, she nodded vigorously.

  Ma Qiao was like a big black dog in Xiao Dong's house, constantly circling around Yang Fan and scratching his ears, saying: "Second Brother, quickly tell me, what method did you use to make that surname Liu retreat from the engagement? I saw him running back with a burning butt, hastily separating from Xiaoning. Quickly say it, this riddle is driving me crazy!"

  Yang Fan chuckled and said: "It can't be said, it's not to be said, Ning sister doesn't have to entrust her life to that kind of person, why do you need to dig deep?"

  The old lady came out of the kitchen, patting her apron and smiling all over her face: "Second son, my daughter owes you a great debt for not jumping into the fire pit. I don't know how to thank you enough! It's almost noon, sit down, I'll go buy some wine and cut half a catty of pork head meat to properly thank you. Ma Liu, you stay too, have lunch with me."

  Yang Fan hastily said: "Auntie, don't be busy anymore. I regard Ning as my own sister, you shouldn't treat me like an outsider. Think back to when I first arrived in Luoyang, I was a stranger in a strange land, Ning helped me a lot, now I'm just helping you with a small matter, why must you always remember it?

  "That's right, this matter, as long as we know in our hearts, it's fine. Don't mention it to outsiders, if someone asks, just say that the one with the surname Liu voluntarily came to cancel the engagement for no reason. Whatever you do, don't say I interfered, or else when the one with the surname Liu regrets it someday, there will inevitably be more trouble."

  It's about her daughter's lifelong event, how can Mother Wang not be careful and cautious? She listened and nodded repeatedly, remembering this reminder firmly in her heart. She was just thinking of persuading Yang Fan to stay for lunch when Su Fangzheng walked in from outside the courtyard, shouting loudly as soon as he entered the gate: "Old auntie, old auntie, are you at home?"

  Mian Pian'er's mother heard the voice and hurried out to greet them. Su Fang was saying, "Old auntie, wasn't it yesterday that the one from Yongkangfang surnamed Liu came to break off the engagement? At the time I was puzzled, had he taken the wrong medicine or what, how did he suddenly have a change of heart. Guess what, he really did take the wrong medicine, haha!"

  Su Fang Zheng Xing said with a smile: "Today, this kid was taken in by the government, you say he's got guts or not. He actually pretended to be a wealthy merchant from the Western Regions and moved into the residence of the current Minister of War, cheating and deceiving people. I think about it, I'm afraid he's gone mad, otherwise, how could he dare to deceive Minister Wu?"

  In the house, Jiang Xuning and Ma Qiao heard clearly, and the two of them looked at Yang Fan in surprise, really couldn't guess what means he used, not only did Liu Junhuan retreat from the marriage, but also made him so bewildered that he did such a thing.

  Yang Fan smiled and said to Jiang Xun Ning: "Ning sister, I'll go with Ma Liu first, we'll come see you again tomorrow."

  "Hey, don't go, let's have lunch here."

  Jiang Xuning didn't even finish his sentence when Yang Fan pulled Ma Qiao out of the house, gave a greeting to Mianpian'er Niang and slipped away. Mianpian'er Niang was busy attending to Su Fangzheng and couldn't stop them too much, so the two left the Jiang's house smoothly.

  On the road, Ma Qiao continued to ask without stopping, wanting to know what method Yang Fan used to make Liu Junhuan take the initiative to divorce and even put Liu Junhuan in prison. Yang Fan naturally smiled but didn't speak. Ma Qiao was insistent, and the two were laughing and joking when Xiao Dong suddenly came from the opposite direction. When Yang Fan saw Xiao Dong, he quickly took a step back and hid behind Ma Qiao.

  Xiao Dong's fondness for Yang Fan was something that almost everyone in the village knew about. As soon as Ma Qiao saw Xiao Dong, he felt a sudden surge of jealousy and called out: "Little sister Xiao Dong, you're going out?"

  Little Dong's girl was walking "as if no one was there", heard the call, squinted her eyes and came over.

  "Oh, it's Ma Liu Ge..."

  Xiao Dong's face lit up with a smile as he took in her appearance. Ma Qiao asked, "Yes, Xiao Dong, where are you back from?"

  Xiao Dong smiled and said: "Oh, my mother just made a set of clothes, I took them to the customer's house and just came back. Sixth brother, what are you doing?"

  Ma Qiao suddenly pulled out Yang Fan, who was hiding behind him, and said: "I'm patrolling the streets with Yang Er. Look at you, Yang Er, when you see Little Dong's daughter, why don't you even greet her?"

  Yang Fan glared at him with a scowl and stiffened his scalp, saying to Xiaodong: "Miss Xiaodong, hello."

  Xiao Dong didn't even give him a glance, and instead focused on sizing up Ma Qiao. In a soft and gentle tone, he said: "Ma Liu, look at your clothes, they're all worn out. When you have some free time, come to my house and I'll take your measurements to make you a new set. If you're short on cash, don't worry about it, just put it on tab. Our two families' relationship is good, my mother won't say anything."

  Ma Qiao's face changed greatly, and he stuttered: "No... no need, Little Dong sister, you're too polite. Friendship is one thing, business is another, can't mix them up. When I have money to buy new clothes, I'll definitely take care of your family's business. Now... haha, we still have to patrol, Little Dong girl, see you later."

  Ma Qiao said as he backed away, pulling Yang Fan along with him, and they ran off in a manner that resembled fleeing.

  Yang Fan smiled and said: "Little Dong is really too insightful, she must have taken a liking to Ma Liu's brother."

  Ma Qiao exclaimed: "Don't talk nonsense! I'll have nightmares tonight."

  Yang Fan said: "This is strange, can't Xiaodong's daughter even match up to you?"

  Ma Qiao said: "Xiao Dong is a good girl, naturally there's nothing wrong with her, but that old mother of hers..."

  Ma Qiao shuddered and said with a lingering fear: "That flower lady has sharp teeth, is arrogant and overbearing. How can she be a good match? I recall that the new daughter-in-law of the old Gao family was scolded by her for three days because she didn't like the clothes she made. She was scolded to the point where the new daughter-in-law almost hanged herself! Their family only accepts sons-in-law who come from a lower social status, if I were to become her son-in-law, I would be trapped for life!"

  Yang Fan burst out laughing and said: "You asked for it, this is self-inflicted!"

  But as the old saying goes: "Don't laugh at others, laughing at others is laughing at yourself!"

  That evening, Yang Fan couldn't laugh anymore.

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  Still that small alley, still that dragon claw locust tree, and it's still Huang Yuanwai who is coming.

  Yang Er!

  "Yellow staff!"

  Still the same encounter, still the same conversation, but different is Huang Yuanwai's gaze.

  Huang Yuan looked at Yang Fan with a warm and gentle gaze, and said softly: "Second Brother, how have you been lately?"

  Yang Fan inexplicably replied: "Thanks for your concern, sir, everything is fine with me."

  Huang Yuan sighed, patted his shoulder lightly and said: "A man has tears but doesn't shed them easily. Alas! I know you're bitter in your heart, but we men can't lose face! Take me for example, last time I lost a handkerchief of Angel's, my wife insisted that I gave it to someone I had an affair with and forced me to kneel on the washboard, heaven knows! Ah, look at what I'm saying now.

  "Second Brother, don't take it to heart and don't be too distressed. What's yours will always be yours, and what's not yours can't be forced. As the saying goes: 'Don't bully a young man who is poor.' Just because you're just a clerk in the Wen Fang today doesn't mean you won't soar to great heights tomorrow. Let her regret it then!"

  "Yes, your words are as precious as gold and jade, I will remember them in my heart. However... what exactly are you trying to say, sir?"

  "You're still holding on, aren't you? Never mind, I won't say anything else. Can't rub salt in your wounds, right? Remember my words: a real man doesn't cry or bow his head, even if he loses his head or bleeds to death. Let bygones be bygones and look forward instead."

  Huang Yuanwai patted Yang Fan's shoulder intimately, put his hands behind his back, and strolled to the south mountain.

  Yang Fan gazed at Huang Yuanwai's plump back, which swayed three times with each step, and rubbed the back of his head in confusion, muttering to himself: "What kind of madness is Huang Yuanwai suffering from today?"

  "Letuce, mushrooms, and shepherd's purse, hurry up and pack up your stall... Ah! Erlang is here!"

  Song Erbo came over with a vegetable basket, suddenly saw Yang Fan, and his voice paused. He seemed to want to avoid him and take a detour, but was caught in the act. After a slight hesitation, he smiled awkwardly and walked up to greet him.

  Yang Fan said: "Oh, Song Erbo, you're back from setting up the stall! Hehe, business was good today, just leaving this little bit of food."

  "Ah ah, today's business...not bad, hehe..."

  Song Erbo smiled very carefully, he didn't look at Yang Fan, with a pole on his shoulder, his eyes slightly downward, when passing by Yang Fan's side, he even deliberately turned the pole over, as if Yang Fan was a paper-made person, and would break with just one touch.

  Yang Fan noticed that when Song Erbo brushed past him, he also sneaked a glance at him with the corner of his eye, and in his eyes, there was a glimmer of pity and sympathy.

  Pity?

  Sympathy?

  Yang Fan suddenly became suspicious and thought, "What is Ma Qiao saying about me behind my back again?"

  Ma Qiao shouted loudly: "This time I really didn't speak out of turn! Neighbors, believe me, cast your recommendation votes for me to prove it!"