Chapter 45: Riding the Cart
Chapter 45: Riding the Cart
No matter how much Zhao Dajun tried to reason with him, he refused to leave. Helpless, Lu Jiaxin had no choice but to pay a young boy to find Lu Jiajie. She offered twenty cents upfront and promised the rest upon his return with news of Lu Jiajie.
The little boy happily took the money and darted off like an arrow.
Watching the boy's retreating figure, Lu Jiaxin shook her head and remarked, "People these days are still not cautious enough. What if we were bad people?"
Zhao Dajun frowned and said, "Miss Lu, we are not bad people."
Lu Jiaxin was speechless. She had simply sighed, expressing her concern about the boy's lack of vigilance. However, after spending a few days with Zhao Dajun, she knew he was set in his ways, so she didn't bother arguing with him.
Soon, the boy returned, without asking for the rest of his payment. It wasn't until Lu Jiajie arrived, breathless and exhausted, that the boy turned to Lu Jiaxin.
Lu Jiaxin gestured for him to wait a moment.
Approaching Lu Jiaxin, Lu Jiajie explained, "Xinxin, I've been waiting at the station since noon. I just went to relieve myself, and that's when I missed the bus."
Lu Jiaxin, finding his blame on her amusing, said, "It's normal to have urgent needs. But you could have asked someone to help and wait for you at the exit. You don't know me, so why didn't you write my name on a piece of paper and show it to others?"
Lu Jiajie was left speechless.
Pointing at the boy, Lu Jiaxin instructed, "Tell him that there are many kidnappers out there, and he needs to be more vigilant. He can't be as careless as he was this time."
Lu Jiajie relayed the message to the boy, who initially seemed unconvinced but eventually wore a look of terror. Apparently, he had taken Lu Jiajie's words to heart.
"Xinxin, he promises that if a stranger talks to him again, he'll find an adult first."
The boy took the remaining thirty cents and ran off. Only he knew whether he truly took those words to heart.
Carrying his luggage, Lu Jiajie asked, "Xinxin, why are you heading this way? Did you forget the way home?"
Lu Jiaxin indeed didn't know where Lu Village was in relation to their current location. The last time she had visited was a year before her stepmother's death. "It's been five years since I last came here. I didn't pay attention to the way back then, so I don't remember."
"Then why don't you ask?"
Lu Jiaxin was exasperated. "Do I need to tell you that? I get carsick. I've been vomiting the whole way, even my bile is out. I don't have the energy to walk, so I plan to stay at an inn for the night before heading back."
Seeing her looking weak, Lu Jiajie thought that despite her illness, her mouth was still sharp. However, he figured it was for the best, as she wouldn't be bullied easily. "Then I'll borrow a bicycle. This big brother should know how to ride one, right?"
He had come by bicycle, so he only needed to borrow an extra one. However, since Lu Jiaxin didn't know how to ride a bicycle, if Zhao Dajun couldn't either, they would have to walk back.
Zhao Dajun indicated that he could not only ride a bicycle but also drive and repair cars.
However, Lu Jiaxin didn't want to ride a bicycle. She explained, "The road to the village is bumpy. If I ride a bicycle, I'll throw up again."
"Then I'll carry you back."
Lu Jiaxin glanced at him and asked, "I remember it takes more than an hour to walk from the county seat to Lu Village. Can you carry me all the way while also carrying the luggage?"
That might not be possible.
Lu Jiaxin felt that her tongue was getting sharper, and she was starting to outwit herself. "I'm not stopping you from staying at the inn. It's just that you're not used to the food there. Since you're already feeling unwell, if you don't eat well, it will be even harder for you to recover."
Lu Jiaxin, who had initially planned to stay at the inn for the night, immediately changed her mind upon hearing this. However, she didn't want to ride a bicycle either, as it would be too bumpy.
After thinking for a moment, she said, "Go borrow a cart to pull me back! Fifth brother, make sure the cart is clean. If it smells, I'll throw up again."
In the countryside, only the sick or those with mobility issues would ride in carts. She was currently considered unwell, so it fit the criteria.
Lu Jiajie froze for a moment, but then he burst into laughter. Seeing Lu Jiaxin glaring at him, he held back his laughter and said, "Then wait here for a moment while I go borrow a cart."
After Lu Jiajie left, Zhao Dajun kindly reminded Lu Jiaxin, "Miss Lu, you should really change your attitude. Otherwise, everyone will dislike you."
Lu Jiaxin looked at him in surprise and found his words amusing. "Those who like me will like me no matter what I do. Those who don't will always find faults, no matter how well-behaved and sensible I am."
Zhao Dajun thought her reasoning was twisted. "Adults like well-behaved and thoughtful children."
In his opinion, Lu Jiaxin had been favored by her parents because she was their only child. After her mother passed away and her stepmother brought her daughter into the family, her father had naturally favored the obedient, thoughtful, and considerate stepsister.
Lu Jiaxin felt that he was interfering too much. However, since they still had to get along for a while, she didn't want to make the relationship too stiff. "I like to live according to my own wishes. I don't like being bossed around, not even by my parents."
Being well-behaved and sensible wasn't necessarily a good thing. If one were too obedient, their life might be arranged by their parents. The reasons were always ready—they didn't trust anyone else, so they wanted to pave a smooth and easy path for their child. If one was content with following the established path, it wasn't an issue. But if one had dreams and aspirations, they might feel caged in.
Zhao Dajun thought her mindset was problematic. "Don't you think you're being selfish this way?"
In the past, he would have definitely suggested that Lu Hongjun send this girl to take some ideological education classes. However, with the more relaxed policies nowadays, such requirements were no longer as strict.
Lu Jiaxin, feeling weak and tired, snapped back, "How I am is none of your concern. Just mind your own business."
Once they returned to the ancient capital, he would send him back to Siyucheng. Lu Jiaxin couldn't stand being lectured, and if she had known Zhao Dajun was like this, she wouldn't have let him come with her.
After about twenty minutes, Lu Jiajie finally arrived with a cart. The cart was new, with a thick layer of hay and bedding underneath and a bamboo mat on top.
"Why isn't there a blanket?"
Lu Jiajie couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sister, it's so hot...”
Before he could finish, he slapped his forehead and continued, "It was negligent of me. I should have brought a blanket for you."
For a normal person, a blanket was indeed unnecessary on such a hot day. But Lu Jiaxin was physically weak, and even on this hot day, her hands and feet felt icy.
Seeing that he understood the issue, Lu Jiaxin took out two pieces of clothing from her luggage. The pomegranates and other things were tied to the back rack of the bicycle.
After arranging their belongings, Lu Jiaxin took off her shoes and lay down on the cart. Lu Jiajie pushed the bicycle while Zhao Dajun pulled the cart.
Finding the sunlight too harsh, Lu Jiaxin covered her face with a piece of clothing.
Lu Jiajie laughed and said, "Sister, don't worry. No one here knows you, so no one will laugh at you."
Lu Jiaxin gave him a sideways glance. "Even if they did know me, I wouldn't care. It's just a cart ride. What's so funny about that?"
(End of Chapter)
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