Chapter 64: Accident
Liu Ergou pondered for a moment before replying, "About two or three days."
"Brother Luo Kang, if you're not in a hurry, it'll take three days. If you are, I can do it in two."
Luo Kang nodded, indicating he understood, and then escorted Liu Ergou from his home.
As Liu Huilan watched Liu Ergou's departing figure, a peculiar look flashed in her eyes. When she caught sight of Luo Kang, disappointment crossed her face, and she let out a deep sigh. Soon, both men had vanished without a trace.
After they were gone, Liu Huilan rested on her bed for a while before slowly getting up to pull a set of clothes from the wardrobe. As she changed, a contemplative expression appeared on her face, a clear sign that she was deep in thought.
Meanwhile, Liu Ergou had already parted ways with Luo Kang and returned home. It wasn't late yet. His sister-in-law, Xu Yulan, was preparing dinner while Liu Ergou sat in the living room, mulling over his plans for the next day.
Tomorrow was Fu Ya's birthday. He definitely couldn't go to her party empty-handed; he had to prepare a gift. But he had never attended a birthday party before and had no idea what kind of gift to get. After pondering for a long time, Liu Ergou was still at a loss.
Just then, Xu Yulan finished cooking. The two of them sat at the dining table, eating in silence. Neither said a word.
During the quiet meal, Xu Yulan kept stealing glances at Liu Ergou from the corner of her eye. When she noticed his persistent frown, she grew nervous. Why is Er Gou suddenly so unhappy? Is it because of me, or something else? Once the thought took hold, she couldn't shake it.
Finally, Xu Yulan couldn't hold back any longer. "Er Gou, what's wrong? You don't seem very happy tonight. Is something on your mind?"
Her question brought Liu Ergou back to his senses. "No, Sister-in-law. I was just thinking about something. A friend of mine is having a birthday, and I was wondering what would be a good gift."
Hearing this, Xu Yulan breathed a sigh of relief. But another question quickly surfaced in her mind. Is his friend a man or a woman?
However, she didn't voice the question, instead continuing to eat in silence.
Soon, the meal was over. Xu Yulan said little before returning to her bedroom, leaving Liu Ergou alone with his thoughts.
After thinking for a long time, an idea suddenly struck him. He knew what to give!
Liu Ergou tidied up, left the room, and headed outside. As he went, he called back to his sister-in-law, "Sister-in-law, I'm stepping out for a bit! I'll be back later!"
Without waiting for a response, he strode briskly out of the house and made his way straight for the mountain. Crafting this birthday gift required certain herbs that could only be found there.
The gift he had in mind was a marvelous item recorded in the "Hundred Turns Nine Sounds Phoenix Needle": the Hundred Herbs Fragrance Pouch.
Legend had it that this sachet contained a hundred different herbs. Wearing it would repel all insects, imbue the person with a fragrant aura, and could even prolong life and enhance their complexion.
This is the perfect gift for Fu Ya!
As he walked, Liu Ergou reviewed the method for making the sachet and the herbs it required. Luckily, most of them were common, and while a few were rare, they could still be found on the mountain. The preparation method isn't complicated at all. I can easily make it now.
At that moment, Liu Ergou came to a cornfield, which lay on the only path up the mountain. Upon seeing it, he subconsciously quickened his pace. The memory of what happened that night suddenly surfaced, an experience he had no desire to repeat.
However, what one fears most often comes to pass. Just as he was about to leave the cornfield behind, a rustling sound came from within the stalks. His first instinct was to hurry past and avoid it, but the sound moved toward him, and it was moving fast. Within minutes, the rustling was right beside him.
Liu Ergou had no choice but to find a place to hide. Fortunately, there was a dry ditch nearby, and he jumped into it.
Just as he had concealed himself, a man's voice cut through the night. "You old slut, sneaking out behind your husband's back in the middle of the night! Aren't you afraid of being found out?"
A woman's voice replied, "You devil, stop your nonsense! I've missed you like crazy. Let's get started already, I can't wait!"
The voices sounded vaguely familiar, so Liu Ergou carefully peeked out for a look. He saw a patch of flattened cornstalks where two people stood, already quite busy. By the light of the moon, he recognized them.
Liu Ergou knew the man; it was the old bachelor from the village.
As for the woman, a smile bloomed on Liu Ergou's face. It was none other than Xiaorou's mom, Zhang Cuifen!
There wasn't much to say about Zhang Cuifen. She was known in the village as a proper, conventional woman. Nothing scandalous had ever been associated with her. She was just an ordinary housewife with average looks. If she had one outstanding feature, it would be her long legs, which made many of the village men envious. However, no one dared to entertain any improper thoughts, because Zhang Cuifen was known for her propriety and would never stray.
However, that rule was broken today. Judging by their tone, they had clearly known each other for a long time.
But what does this have to do with me? All I know is that by seeing this, I can finally settle the annulment of Xiaorou's engagement! This is fantastic news!
While Liu Ergou was processing this, the old bachelor and Zhang Cuifen were getting down to business. The old bachelor was quickly stripping off her clothes, cursing as he did.
"Fuck! Why are you wearing so many clothes? Don't you want to do it or what?!"
Zhang Cuifen retorted, "You devil, what are you talking about? I always wear this many clothes!"
"It's you who hasn't come to see me for so long! I can't believe you're scolding me the moment you see me. Have you been busy with someone else?!"
Caught off guard by her retort, the old bachelor froze on the spot.