Chapter 57: Meng Huan Leaves the Residence and Discusses with Zu Jun to Let Xie Yunjin Leave…

“Xiao Jun, why are you wearing servant clothes so early in the morning? Where are you going?”

Meng Huan only needed to go around one more courtyard to exit through the small door of the servant’s entrance, but was stopped by someone calling from behind.

When he first heard the voice, his spine stiffened and he was quite scared. However, upon recognizing who was calling him, he became less worried.

He turned around with Wen Xi and saw Xie Yunjin standing not far away, wearing short sportswear, seeming to have come out for morning exercise.

“Where I’m going is none of your business. Xie Xiaolang should just mind his own affairs!”

Hearing him say this, Xie Yunjin didn’t get angry. Instead, she smiled and walked over. “Xiao Jun, don’t worry. I won’t tell Cousin. Given your current appearance, what you’re doing is likely beneficial to me, so I naturally won’t interfere.”

Her words were clear – she wouldn’t interfere. However, Meng Huan became even angrier upon hearing this, feeling like his thoughts had been exposed.

Especially that remark, giving him the feeling that no matter what, Xie Yunjin would be the one reaping the benefits…

Meng Huan frowned. “You probably don’t know, but you and Wen Zhaoyin’s former fiancé, your cousin from the main family, look exactly alike. Even if you stay here, what’s the use? You’ll just be a substitute like I was before.”

They were both substitutes, so who was nobler than the other? At least Wen Zhaoyin liked him, while Xie Yunjin? She couldn’t even be bothered to pay attention to him.

The latter didn’t expect him to say this. Her expression changed several times before she couldn’t help but chuckle.

After a few laughs, she covered her mouth. “I’ve known about this for a long time.”

What? He already knew he looked the same as Xie Yunhuan? Meng Huan thought about it and it made sense. After all, they were from the same clan, so he probably found out with a casual mention.

But why did Xie Yunjin still come to the Wen family knowing she was a substitute? He couldn’t quite understand this point.

“You…”

Before he could ask, Xie Yunjin seemed to know what Meng Huan wanted to ask.

She laughed lightly. “What does it matter if we look alike or not?”

“Legend has it that the former fiancé Wen Wan was graceful and generous. Although I can’t compare, I’m more or less the same. But when Cousin sees me, isn’t she able to easily distinguish us?”

“Even if we look exactly the same, people can’t be confused. With Cousin’s affection for Cousin, this face of mine isn’t a burden but a boost.”

“Xiao Jun, since your heart isn’t here, then quickly go and pursue it. But I think things are quite good now, so you don’t need to say anything more.”

After this speech, Meng Huan was left in a daze. He wanted to say Xie Yunjin was wrong, relying on someone else’s affection and face to talk about love.

But he also felt there was some truth in what she said. Even if they were very similar, they could be easily distinguished. Appearance instead became a plus…

“Xiao Jun.” Wen Xi called him from the side, bringing him back to his senses.

After coming to his senses, Meng Huan almost wanted to slap himself. Was this the time to think about these things? He had already tied up Wen Zhaoyin and sent away so many people. There was no turning back for him!

“Let’s go.”

Without giving it further thought, Meng Huan gave Xie Yunjin one last fierce glance before pulling Wen Xi and walking towards the small door without looking back.

It was early morning now and the masters weren’t up yet, but those going out to buy things had long woken up. He put the bundle in the prepared bamboo basket, picked it up, and walked out the door, keeping his head down the whole way so no one saw his face. The exit went very smoothly.

Wen Xi’s handling of matters was quite proper. After the two ran out of the residence and walked a block, there was a carriage waiting there to take them out of the city.

After Wen Xi’s parents married, they received the favor of the former head of house and moved to the Wen family’s country estate. Last year, using some money saved up in the residence and some jewelry Meng Huan regularly gifted, they purchased a small courtyard in a village outside the imperial city after cashing them out.

This matter had always been kept secret. Wen Xi’s mother specially asked a distant relative to make the purchase. Wen Zhaoyin probably couldn’t find out even if she investigated. Moving there for a while would be quite safe.

Meng Huan felt that with this buffer period, he could adapt to the outside environment. Then, being a bit careful and lying low for a while, he could escape to the neighboring country to live.

“After Mother bought that small courtyard, there was no money left and she didn’t prepare anything…”

Hearing his voice grow weaker, Meng Huan waved his hand repeatedly. “No need to prepare anything. I’m only staying for a dozen or so days. It’s already troubling your parents.”

He thought not preparing anything meant not readying teapots, bowls, chopsticks, and such. However, after Wen Xi brought him to that small village courtyard, he was dumbfounded.

The house was not only small with poor lighting, but most importantly, it was empty inside without even a bed! Truly only four bare walls!

This “not preparing” meant not even preparing life’s necessities!

With no other choice, having already arrived, Meng Huan could only drag his body that hadn’t worked for a year and gather wooden planks with Wen Xi to make a bed. Then they bought a secondhand quilt from a neighbor’s house to make do.

Even though it was a small courtyard with nothing inside, just tidying up the living space took the two of them most of the day.

By the time they finished tidying up and started to rest, it was almost evening.

Meng Huan had just started doing some work. Not having moved for a year, he was already too weak to handle it. From the morning, he began collapsing on the plank bed, playing dead. Most of the work later on was done by Wen Xi.

When Wen Xi finished tidying up and it came to the part Meng Huan was looking forward to, cooking, the two discovered that although there was an earthen stove in the courtyard, it was just a frame without a pot! They had no way to cook today!

Who could bear the blow of not being able to eat? Meng Huan’s state of mind was somewhat collapsing. Fortunately, Wen Xi ran out quickly and bought some steamed buns and pickled vegetables from a neighbor’s house with some copper coins. Otherwise, he really would have cried.

No need to worry about whether Wen Zhaoyin could find him. He was directly worried about whether he himself would starve or exhaust to death!

How difficult was it to live in ancient times!

Fortunately, the weather wasn’t cold anymore. Otherwise, the two of them would definitely suffer from the lack of charcoal.

Although Wen Xi was a servant, he was delicately brought up in the inner courtyard of the Wen residence. The most tiring work he usually did was sweeping the floor, wiping tables, and moving some things. He had never lived alone outside before.

At this time, if not for his persistence in not letting the young master suffer, he probably would have been overwhelmed long ago. Being able to maintain the current state of living was just barely holding on.

——

Time rewound back to early this morning.

Almost as soon as Meng Huan jumped out the window, a hidden guard jumped down from the beam to untie Wen Zhaoyin.

She was, after all, a martial arts practitioner. How could she have no vigilance at all while sleeping? From the moment Meng Huan began tying her up, she had already sensed it.

Oh no, the timeline should be pushed back even earlier. Ever since Meng Huan ran into her and Xie Yunjin coming out of the study, she had people constantly watching over him, so she was well aware of his secret preparations to escape.

But she did not restrict his actions, let alone cause his plans to die prematurely.

On the contrary, she even planned to help him succeed for once.

“Master, everything has been properly arranged.” Pei Lan, who had been sent out to queue up and buy pastries, also pushed the door open and entered.

Wen Zhaoyin nodded lightly and threw the crooked handmade hemp rope beside her on the ground, mumbling an ‘mm’ to indicate she knew.

That day, she saw Meng Huan’s intention to leave. That intention seemed quite firm and not easily resolved.

Moreover, he had always had the idea of going out. She felt that just suppressing him wasn’t quite right, so she thought of letting him out once to experience the hardships and difficulties outside. Then he would be willing to return on his own.

So there was this morning’s seamless ‘successful escape’ with full cooperation.

“He just left the residence and is estimated to have gotten on the carriage. He should arrive at that small village in about an hour.”

Wen Zhaoyin understood the general itinerary and also incidentally learned about Xie Yunjin running into Meng Huan in the morning.

Her people outside couldn’t get too close, so they didn’t hear clearly what they said. But she felt that with Xie Yunjin’s not-stupid brain, she must have guessed that Meng Huan dressed as a servant and carrying a basket was very abnormal.

However, after a good while, she showed no intention of coming to tell her at all, not even sending a servant to probe.

“Have someone prepare to send him away. An unmarried man is ultimately unsuitable to stay here for long.”