Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Helping Grandpa County Magistrate Out of His Predicament

However, the very next second.

Lu Shaoyuan abruptly snatched up his books and ink. "It’s just a seat. You can have it!"

With that, he walked to the back by himself and simply took an empty seat.

He didn’t spare Shen Ningning a single glance.

The triumphant smirk on Lan Qian’s face instantly froze.

She turned to Lu Shaoyuan in astonishment. "Brother Shao Yuan, you’re just letting her have it? Didn’t you say this was your seat and you wouldn’t give it to anyone?"

But Lu Shaoyuan just furrowed his brows and snapped at her, "Do I need to explain my actions to you?"

Caught off guard by his sharp retort, Lan Qian immediately fell silent.

The other classmates were very surprised as well.

Although Lu Shaoyuan had a bad temper, he was an eager student and liked sitting at the front.

Since everyone knew his temperament, no one ever challenged him for the spot.

No one expected Lu Shaoyuan to just give his seat to Shen Ningning like that.

He hadn’t even lost his temper. It was truly a rare sight!

Shen Ningning quietly sat down, not thinking much of the whole affair.

’This Lu Shaoyuan seems pretty easy to get along with, actually.’

The teacher arrived soon after, and the lesson began.

Shen Ningning listened attentively to the lecture.

Little did she know, Lu Shaoyuan’s eyes were fixed on the back of her head the entire time.

His mother’s words echoed in his mind—

"’I went to Xiangyun Village and saw her. That Shen Ningning... she’s fair-skinned and pretty. But it was only after listening to the villagers that I learned how much she has suffered.’"

"’She’s an orphan, taken in by the Qin Family elders, only to be cursed and beaten by her uncle and aunt. She was forced to hide in the mountains just to survive.’"

"’If it hadn’t been for her getting those traffickers sent to the government, you might never have come back!’"

"’That’s why I gave her a good deal of Silver. I feel so sorry for her. I heard she attends the same private academy as you. If you see her, you must thank her properly.’"

So, it was this Shen Ningning who had saved his life.

Lu Shaoyuan withdrew his gaze.

’There’s no way I’m going to bring up something as humiliating as almost being kidnapped and sold.’

’But if Shen Ningning’s life is really that pitiful, I guess I can look out for her a little.’

At lunchtime.

As usual, Shen Ningning laid out all her food.

This time, her grandmother had made braised beef, tofu with scallions, stir-fried mushrooms and bok choy, steamed pork buns with Yunnan ham, and three-delicacy pancakes.

She had brought a large amount to share with her classmates.

Shen Ningning was very generous. Since she was already full, she gave all the leftover pork buns to a chubby classmate with a big appetite.

Then, she cupped a bowl of the cabbage soup provided by the academy, sipping it slowly.

Unexpectedly, Lu Shaoyuan passed by, and his brow furrowed when he saw her.

"I can’t eat another bite. Here, you eat this," he said, emptying the meal the Lu Family had just delivered onto Shen Ningning’s plate.

A whole braised fish, large pieces of braised pork, and glossy green vegetables.

It all looked steaming hot, as if it had just come out of the wok, and Lu Shaoyuan hadn’t eaten a single bite.

With a piece of bok choy still in her mouth, Shen Ningning looked up quietly. "Huh?"

But Lu Shaoyuan had already turned and walked away, giving her no chance to refuse.

But...

’I’m full, too.’

The little girl quietly glanced at her classmates and saw them all staring, their mouths watering.

Shen Ningning placed the plate in the center of the table. "Why don’t we... all share this?"

Watching from a distance, Lan Qian was so angry she almost snapped her chopsticks.

A young lady friendly with her whispered, "Is something wrong with Lu Shaoyuan’s head? He goes on one trip and suddenly comes back with such a good temper."

Lan Qian snapped back irritably, "Don’t you talk about Brother Shao Yuan like that!"

Feeling snubbed, the young lady pouted, picked up her food, and walked away.

Lan Qian glared angrily at Shen Ningning’s back.

’Why does everyone have to help her?! It’s so annoying!’

By the time classes ended that evening, it was dusk.

Shen Ningning quickly finished her dinner and hurried to find Mr. Huang.

"Teacher, may I go out? I promise I’ll be back before 7 p.m."

Mr. Huang stopped grading the paper rolls in his hands.

It was the quiz they had just taken that afternoon.

Seeing it was Shen Ningning, Mr. Huang asked, "What do you need to go out for?"

The little girl lowered her head. "I’d like to buy something."

Mr. Huang thought for a moment. "I’ll have two Attendant Students go with you. It’s not safe for you to be alone. But you must be back an hour before 7 p.m."

Shen Ningning looked up, her bright eyes filled with joy. "Okay!"

She returned to the classroom, grabbed the bundle she had prepared earlier, slung it over her back, and ran outside.

She nearly collided with Lu Shaoyuan. The little girl was in a hurry and only left a quick, "Oh, sorry!"

Watching her small figure hurrying away, Lu Shaoyuan muttered in confusion, "Where is she going?"

Shen Ningning took the two young Attendant Students by the hand and headed straight for the market near the academy.

They went to an embroidery shop that sold empty sachets.

The little girl looked at several before picking out the cheapest kind.

Five hundred cents each.

Shen Ningning did some quick mental math.

’Last time, Grandpa County Magistrate gave her a bag of broken silver and a fifty-tael silver note, and she hadn’t used any of it.’

’She had been thinking of a way to pay him back, and now, her chance had come.’

The little girl took out the bag of broken silver and counted it. It was about ten taels.

’The money Grandpa County Magistrate gave her totaled sixty taels, enough to buy one hundred and twenty of them!’

Shen Ningning paid without hesitation. "I’ll take one hundred and twenty sachets!"

The Attendant Students behind her were astonished. "Student Shen, what are you going to do with so many sachets?"

"You’ll see in a little while!"

After leaving with the sachets, Shen Ningning found a wonton stall.

She first treated the two Attendant Students to a bowl of wontons each. Then, she spread the sachets out on the table.

"I have some herbs here that help relieve summer heat. We need to put them in the sachets. Can you two help me?"

The little girl smiled sweetly and opened her bundle, revealing herbs wrapped in different handkerchiefs.

She had already sorted them all.

While the two Attendant Students were still staring in surprise, Shen Ningning urged them on, "We have to hurry. It’s going to get dark soon."

About half an hour later.

All the sachets were filled with herbs.

Shen Ningning was tired, and a thin layer of sweat covered her fair forehead.

But her eyes were sparkling; clearly, she was still full of energy.

The little girl packed all the sachets into her bundle and led the two Attendant Students to a busy spot on the street where many people were passing by.

"Let’s set up right here!" she said, spreading her bundle on the ground and neatly arranging the sachets one by one.

The two Attendant Students were baffled. "Are we going to sell them?"

"We’re not selling them. We’re giving them away to anyone who wants one," Shen Ningning said with a wide smile.

With that, she cleared her throat, cupped her small hands around her mouth, and called out in a loud voice, "Uncles and Aunties, Grandpas and Grandmas! Come and see! Free sachets! Get your free sachets here!"

Soon, a crowd of passersby began to gather.

Someone asked, "They’re free?"

"That’s right!" Shen Ningning’s soft voice was crisp and clear, her little face round and sweet with a smile. "Grandpa County Magistrate, Mr. Fu, knows the weather is hot and is worried everyone might get heatstroke, so he specially asked us to help hand these out!"

The townspeople immediately recognized the name.

They quickly formed a line to receive the sachets.

"Why would the County Magistrate send a little girl like you to hand these out?" someone asked, confused.

Shen Ningning explained earnestly, "Because we’re students from the nearby private academy. Uncles and aunties, you don’t need to worry about being tricked. They really are free! If you don’t believe me, you can come to the academy and find me!"

Whispers broke out among the crowd—

"The County Magistrate is such a good man. Last year, when my fields were cracking from the drought, he came to inspect them personally and even gave me compensation Silver!"

"That’s right! The County Magistrate also helps us farmhands who don’t have our own land to find work."

Shen Ningning was overjoyed to hear all this.

’She didn’t understand what an "investigation" was, but she knew one thing for sure: Grandpa County Magistrate had to be a good official.’

’I hope his name is cleared soon.’

’This was the most she could do to help Magistrate Fu.’

Just then, a figure came to a stop in front of her.

The little girl looked up and was surprised to see it was Lu Shaoyuan.

She picked up a sachet with her small hand and offered it to him. "Do you want one, too?"

Lu Shaoyuan pressed his lips together, then decisively stood beside Shen Ningning.

"It’s already dark and you’re not back at the academy? I’ll just wait here for you for a while."