Chapter 45 Smoothing Things Over

The third branch of the Luo family had a total of two sons. The younger one was only a few years old and had just started his elementary studies, while the older one was in poor health and rarely went out, which left the Tong family with very little knowledge about either of them.

"Luo Huian?" Tian Zhaodi asked tentatively.

"Yes, this business venture was his idea in the first place, and Chuxue merely stepped forward to handle it for him," Xu Jinniang explained.

Tong Chuxue desperately wanted to refute Xu Jinniang's words, but if she denied it now, it would be equivalent to tacitly admitting that she had lied to Xu Jinniang. By then, Xu Jinniang would likely be heartbroken once more, leaving her truly trapped in a dilemma.

"Xu Jinniang, how can you prove what you are saying is true?" Zou Hongping questioned without a trace of politeness.

"I..." Xu Jinniang felt somewhat embarrassed. "I'll go fetch Huian over here."

Old Mrs. Luo cast a glance at Zou Hongping, who immediately caught on. "Wait, I'll go call him. Who knows if you two might collude on the way?"

Seeing Zou Hongping volunteer herself, Xu Jinniang reluctantly stopped in her tracks.

Tong Chuxue was genuinely panicked now. After all, Luo Huian had nothing to do with this matter to begin with. If Zou Hongping cross-examined him halfway here, the chances of the truth coming to light were exceedingly high.

If push came to shove, she would simply have to fabricate some lie to smooth the whole thing over.

Soon enough, Tian Zhaodi brought Luo Huian over. Perhaps because they had hurried along the way, a fine layer of sweat beaded his forehead.

"I wonder why the respected elders have called for me?" Luo Huian asked politely, not a trace of impatience on his face.

Seizing the precise moment, Tong Chuxue chimed in, "It's scorching hot outside. Sit down first and drink some water to moisten your throat."

Urged by Tong Chuxue, Luo Huian sat down at the table. Tong Chuxue picked up the teapot and poured him a cup. "Here, drink plenty. Auntie was being far too impatient."

It was the first time Luo Huian had ever been treated with such warmth by Tong Chuxue, and he felt quite taken aback. His eyes fixed on her, trying to glean some meaning from her behavior.

This was a golden opportunity!

Tong Chuxue blinked rapidly at Luo Huian, sweeping her gaze across the Luo family members with a look of pleading in her eyes.

She could only pin her hopes now on Luo Huian understanding her hint.

Before he could finish his drink, Old Mrs. Luo spoke up, "Luo boy, I have something I want to ask you, and you must not lie to an old woman like me."

Luo Huian set down his cup. "Grandmother, ask whatever you wish, and Huian will surely tell you the truth."

"Let me ask you, do you know that Tong Chuxue has a secret recipe in her possession?" Old Mrs. Luo stared intently at Luo Huian, not missing a single movement he made.

"A secret recipe?" Luo Huian looked somewhat blank. "Where is this coming from?"

"So you're saying you don't know," Old Mrs. Luo pressed.

Luo Huian's mind raced. Connecting this with Tong Chuxue's earlier behavior, he quickly deduced that this cross-examination probably had to do with her business. Putting on a mysterious air, he said, "Grandmother, some matters are not convenient for me to discuss with you in detail. Since you aren't involved anyway, there's no need for you to know so much."

His words were vague and noncommittal, but to Old Mrs. Luo's ears, they sounded like a tacit admission.

"Could it be that the secret recipe is truly yours?" Old Mrs. Luo was reluctant to believe it.

"Grandmother, I promised not to speak of this matter, and I cannot break my word," Luo Huian said solemnly.

For a moment, the members of the Luo family fell silent.

Tong Chuxue opportunely spoke up, "Grandmother, now that the matter has been clarified, can the few of you take your leave?"

"Wait!" Zou Hongping refused to agree, turning to Luo Huian. "You boy, didn't you just say this intentionally to provide cover for Tong Chuxue?"

"What makes you say that?" Luo Huian asked calmly, showing no panic.

"I've heard that you and Tong Chuxue often go to the back mountain to dig for wild vegetables. The two of you were already close to begin with, so you probably colluded long ago." The more Zou Hongping spoke, the more convinced she became of the high probability. "I was wondering why your Luo family dared to follow a little girl into business—nine times out of ten, you're in cahoots with this dead girl to scheme against our Tong family's property."

"Auntie, watch your words!" Luo Huian's expression turned stern. "Our family and Miss Tong have always maintained a good relationship, but not for the sake of profit. Rather, we believe in the character of Miss Tong and Auntie Xu."

"If that's not how it is, then why haven't you been able to explain clearly what on earth this thing is after talking for so long?" Zou Hongping retorted.

"Since Auntie insists on knowing, I can reveal a little. The so-called secret recipe you speak of is something I obtained from a traveling folk doctor. As you all likely know, I have been in poor health since childhood and frequently sought medical treatment, through which I also came to know quite a few physicians," Luo Huian said with absolute conviction.

Tong Chuxue truly admired Luo Huian at this point. Without a single word of truth, he managed to deliver it all so convincingly that it sounded completely real—he would make fine official material.

"How can you prove that the secret recipe belongs to you?" Tian Zhaodi asked.

"Prove it?" Luo Huian chuckled softly. "If you all don't believe me, you are quite welcome to go to the yamen, beat the grievance drum, and accuse me of stealing the Tong family's property. I trust that the prefectural magistrate is discerning and will certainly recover the Tong family's losses."

To an ordinary farming family, resorting to official authorities was something they wouldn't even dare to imagine.

Zou Hongping and Tian Zhaodi instantly lost their nerve, especially Tian Zhaodi, who already felt a guilty conscience. "Mother, why don't we just let it go? Let's just pretend our Tong family raised an ungrateful wretch."

Old Mrs. Luo, however, was unwilling to drop it. "If we have to go to the officials, we'll go! I don't believe that you can steal from our Tong family and still come out on top."

At this, Tian Zhaodi panicked completely. She pulled Zou Hongping aside, whispered a few brief instructions, and then abruptly turned and slipped away through the doorway.

Tong Chuxue's confidence surged immensely at this moment. If the matter were actually dragged to the yamen, she wouldn't be afraid at all. No matter what, the Tong family would be the ones to lose, and she herself stood to gain without any risk of a loss.

"I've lived for several decades, old woman that I am. Don't think you little tricks can fool me," Old Mrs. Luo said viciously.

Tong Chuxue was thoroughly relaxed now. "Grandmother, since you keep insisting that we stole the Tong family's secret recipe, why don't you tell us what is actually written in that recipe?"

Naturally, Old Mrs. Luo had no idea. Gritting her teeth, she blurted, "It was all stolen by you, how would I know? Besides, I don't even know how to read; you're deliberately making things difficult for me."

"That's strange. Grandmother's family lost something, yet you don't even know what was lost. If outsiders heard this, they might suspect that Grandmother is framing us," Tong Chuxue said.

"What would I be framing you for, you little minx!" Goaded by a few words from Tong Chuxue, Old Mrs. Luo flew into a rage on the spot.

"If Grandmother is certain I am the thief, why don't we go to the yamen right now and settle this clearly!" Tong Chuxue deliberately raised her voice to stoke Old Mrs. Luo's anger.

"Let's go then! You think I wouldn't dare?" Sure enough, provoked by these words into a towering rage, Old Mrs. Luo was beyond Zou Hongping's attempts to hold her back, and she looked ready to drag Tong Chuxue out the door by force.

Suddenly—

"Have you made enough of a scene!" an angry roar echoed from the doorway.