Chapter 92: Arriving Home
When Ye Zhiqiu watched as his troublesome younger siblings finally returned, his eyelids twitched. The moment he saw them walking toward their home, he knew it was them.
Their mother had been so worried that she often stood dazedly around the door threshold every time she had nothing to do until the sky turned dark.
Only then they would be able to successfully persuade her to go back inside the house.
A few days ago, the construction of their house was also finally finished. All the holes in the earthen wall had been filled. They just needed to decorate it a little so that it didn’t look too bad.
The door creaked as Ye Zhiqiu opened it.
"Mother, they have finally returned!" He couldn’t help but announce it to the whole house.
Shen Jingyi dropped the iron hoe in her hands. Her eyes lit up. "Really? Where are your younger siblings?"
Ye Zhiqiu didn’t even need to lead her to the door before she stood up and headed there while complaining. "These three troublesome children. Why did they take so long to go back home?"
"They must have been dawdling on the way. Lan’er and Yue’er are too easily distracted by games."
On the other side, the trio led the six bandits toward their village. They happened to meet Steward Du on the way; he didn’t look too happy.
There was a flash of surprise on his face as though he didn’t expect them to make it out alive.
"Why do you look so unhappy, Steward Du?" Ye Lingyue raised her eyebrows. "Is it because we return safely?"
Steward Du lifted the corner of his mouth. "Young Miss is slandering me. How can I feel unhappy when you all return safely? I am very happy!"
Ye Lanxi snorted, and they all passed by him, unwilling to engage with him anymore.
"Young Masters, Young Miss, may I ask who are these people you bring to our place? You should be aware that some people can hold malicious intentions beneath their innocent appearance."
"You shouldn’t let some people deceive you no matter how pitiful they sound," He added, frowning deeply as he scanned each of the six men.
They all seemed to be still in the prime of their lives if not for their extremely malnourished appearance.
Steward Du’s eyes twitched when he saw that the three really ignored him. They didn’t even bother to glance at him after he threw his questioning words.
The six bandits also looked like they wanted to say something but held it back. They could only follow after the Ye siblings toward a particular direction.
They were carrying two sacks of rice each on their hands or shoulders.
With the six bandits returning with them, the Ye siblings finally changed their plan. They decided to pretend they had brought back some more rice sacks.
After they arrived in front of their house, they all put down their rice sacks.
"You all go find a house to live in." Ye Lanxi told them.
The six bandits nodded, and they all scattered, inspecting each house carefully.
"Who are they?" Ye Zhiqiu asked his younger siblings, rubbing his temples.
This time, Shen Jingyi turned to him in disapproval. "Let your siblings go inside and rest first. Yue’er, come with Mother."
"Qiu’er, bring these rice sacks inside," Shen Jingyi didn’t forget to tell her eldest son. "Ask your father for help too."
Ye Zhiqiu raised his brows when he saw the smug look on his second brother’s face. Ye Lanxi sauntered inside the house in a relaxed manner.
With no one to go hunting, Ye Lingrui had prepared some wild vegetables for their parents and brother while Ye Lanxi and Ye Lingyue were gone. After they ran out of it, they could cook the rabbits.
Shen Jingyi would also occasionally go to hunt, but she didn’t have much time as the house’s construction took priority.
As long as they still had something to eat, she wouldn’t go.
"Sit down and I will prepare some roasted rabbit meat for you," she told her children. Her face visibly seemed to be brighter.
Shen Jingyi went to the kitchen to prepare some food with Xiumei and Xiulan. They were quick, and just as Ye Zhiqiu and Ye Chengde finished moving the rice sacks from the front yard, their lunch was ready.
The lunch was quiet, but after they finished their meal, it was time to interrogate the three.
Ye Chengde scanned his children’s faces. "Who are these six men?"
"Bandits," Ye Lingyue answered honestly.
Her parents and eldest brother were speechless. They turned to the most reliable one among the three, but they received the same answer.
Ye Zhiqiu rubbed his temples again. "Why do you even bring such troublesome people home?"
Upon hearing the question, Ye Lingrui finally explained. "They can work for us."
Ye Lanxi agreed. "Free workers."
"We need to open more lands for farming. These people are just right for the job. Anyway, it’s better than meeting some dangerous wild animals or starving in the forest," he continued.
Ye Lingrui’s words were more reassuring. "They have never robbed people before us before."
He began to tell their parents about the situation of the six men, and it managed to earn some of their sympathy.
"We will let them stay as long as they don’t cause trouble," Ye Chengde decided.
Not long after, Ye Jincheng came to visit them. His face was filled with a mix of nervousness and worry. He actually didn’t have much hope they would be able to secure the herbs for his wife.
However...
"Eldest Cousin, let’s go to Eldest cousin-in-law. I will prepare the medicine for her," Ye Lingrui told him.
Ye Jincheng let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. "Yes, yes!"
He led Ye Lingrui toward his house. Ye Lingyue followed along.
"Eldest Cousin, what’s wrong?"
They immediately noticed the complicated look on Ye Jincheng’s face.
"You can take a look by yourself..." he muttered as he opened the door to his wife’s room.