The roads in the village were not easy to travel on, especially the road leading to Ethan and Scarlett's house. There were too many potholes and it was easy for the wheels to get stuck.
The mule carriage stopped at the entrance of the village.
"Brother Ethan." His classmate jumped off the carriage and helped Ethan down. He also helped Ethan down with his bag.
After Ethan stood still, he turned around and looked at Scarlett.
He saw Scarlett lightly jump off the carriage and carry the basket on her back.
Ethan looked away and said to his classmate, "You can go back. You don't need to send me off."
It was indeed late and the carriage driver was a bit impatient.
His classmate said, "Okay, I'm leaving. Don't forget about the exam in three days. The academy is not on holiday that day, so I won't come to pick you up. Remember to go. "
"En." Ethan lightly nodded and took the bag.
The road at night was not easy to travel and they did not have a lantern. Scarlett did not move and silently waited for Ethan.
His classmate coldly glanced at her and pulled Ethan away. He whispered, "Brother Ethan, do well in the exam in three days. If you pass, you will be able to live in the academy. You won't be bullied by that evil woman anymore! You don't need to worry about the treatment of your legs. I will continue to ask about Doctor Jin. Oh, also, eat the cake yourself. Don't let that evil woman take advantage of it! "
Scarlett was sweating when she came back from the market with the basket on her back. But it was all dried on the mule carriage. Her red face was now pale from the cold. It was a bit eye-catching under the moonlight.
Ethan glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. His classmate still wanted to say a few more words, but he was interrupted by Ethan. "Got it. You can go back now."
His classmate opened his mouth, but Ethan no longer paid him any attention. With one hand holding the bundle and the other holding the crutch, he turned around and headed back home.
Ethan followed behind.
Scarlett maintained a perfect distance from him so that he would not feel too close. However, if he fell, she would be able to catch him in time.
However, Ethan was very familiar with this road, and nothing happened all the way home.
It was already dark, and all the doors were closed. Only Emily came out to pour the bathwater. She was stunned at the door for a while.
"Brother Ethan"
"why don't you come in? What are you looking at? "
Inside the room, Emily's mother-in-law was lying on the hospital bed and asked her in a hoarse voice.
Emily blinked in a daze and said, "No, nothing."
She must have seen wrongly. How could Ethan be with that little fool? Although they were husband and wife, they were more enemies than enemies.
Bell Mansion.
Today, it was the first branch's turn to cook. Madam lily and her daughter Riya bell brought the hot dishes to the main room and set the table.
In the bell Mansion, women did not eat at the table. Only Old Master bell, his eldest son Jimmy bell, his second son Thomas, and his three grandchildren were at the table.
Old Madam Stacy brought her two daughters-in-law and granddaughter Riya to eat in the kitchen.
Old Master bell was the village chief, and he was more successful than most of the villagers who only knew how to dig for food in the fields. Most people only saw meat a few times a year, but the bell Family could eat meat twice a month.
Today was the day to eat meat.
Pork belly stewed with cabbage. Even the soup exuded a strong meaty aroma.
But there was not much pork belly, and each person could not finish it with two chopsticks.
Jimmy and Richard each took a piece, but under their father's imposing manner, they did not dare to have any ideas about this bowl of meat. They turned their heads to take pickled vegetables and pickled vegetables.
Old Master bell did not eat much himself. He only took a small piece for tom and Jd, and gave the rest to Thomas.
Tom counted carefully. There were a total of five pieces, and all of them were big!
"Why is he eating all of it?" Tom muttered bitterly as he ate.
Jd said softly, "That's because Eldest Brother is a scholar. Our family depends on him."
When he said this, he could not help but glance at the meat in Thomas's bowl.
He was greedy.
He was really greedy.
But he was already used to this kind of treatment.
There were so many men in the family, but only Eldest Brother was good at studying. This year, Eldest Brother was admitted to the county school, and his achievements were higher than Grandpa's.
"Tsk." Tom rolled his eyes. "My brother-in-law is also a scholar. Why didn't you ask him to eat meat?"
"How is that the same? Eldest Brother was admitted to the county school. How can he compare with him? "
"My brother-in-law just did not take the exam."
The two brothers were about to argue, but Old Master bell slammed his chopsticks on the table, and the two of them immediately shut up.
When Old Master bell was angry, not to mention the three grandchildren, even Jimmy and Richard were a little stunned.
The house was eerily quiet.
"Second Brother, have you read the book I gave you? There are annotations on it. Read it carefully. If there's anything you don't understand, ask me. "
The person who spoke was Thomas.
He was the only one who dared to speak up against Old Master Bell's anger.
His voice was clear and his tone was calm. He was neither fast nor slow, and he really had the demeanor of a scholar.
Old Master bell found this golden grandson pleasing to the eye, and his anger quickly dissipated.
Jd was flattered and smiled. "Then I'll thank Eldest Brother in advance!"
Old Master bell had taught all three of his grandchildren, but only Thomas passed the exam. Later on, Old Master bell could not teach Thomas anymore, so he sent Thomas to a private school in town.
Private schools were too expensive, and the bell family could only afford the best one.
Jd dreamed of being like Thomas
Old Master bell said sternly, "Don't disturb your eldest brother these few days. He has to take the exam."
Jd nodded respectfully. "Got it, Grandpa."
Tom did not want to stay any longer. He finished his food in a few bites and left.
He wanted to go out, but he could not leave through the front door of the central room or the back door of the kitchen. Madam Stacy was not as easy to deal with as Old Master bell.
Tom decided to climb over the wall.
But halfway up, he was caught by Madam eva. "Tom! Get down here! "
Tom was pulled down by madam eva.
Madam eva slapped his head and scolded in a low voice, "Your grandparents are here. Do you want to die?"
"Don't hit my head!" Tom said impatiently.
"It's so late. Why are you going out?"
"My sister hasn't come to eat for a day. I'm going to see her."
Madam eva snorted. "It's good that she doesn't come. What are you going to see? They already married, but you still go to your maternal home every day. What's wrong with you! "
Tom curled his lips and said, "Third Uncle and Third Aunt didn't say that before they died. My grandparents promised Third Aunt that my sister would take in a son-in-law from our family. That surnamed Roy is a live-in son-in-law. My sister is still a part of our family."
Madam eva could not win against him, so she pinched him hard!
Jd was obedient but useless. Tom was neither obedient nor useless. She had given birth to these two children in vain!
.....
Scarlett bought rice and noodles at the market. She didn't expect that Ethan would also buy rice and some steamed buns.
Scarlett went to the kitchen to heat up the steamed buns.
It was Ethan who started the fire.
Scarlett didn't argue.
When she went out, the injury on her wrist wasn't serious. But she did something at the market and her wound tore. Fortunately, she felt that it wasn't safe at home, so she brought a medicine box with her and bandaged it on the spot.
The two of them didn't mention the three steamed buns from this morning. Ethan didn't explain and Scarlett didn't ask.
"Let's eat here. It's warm." Scarlett said. She was so cold that she was still shivering.
Ethan hesitated for a moment, then nodded and sat down on the small stool next to Scarlett.
It was the first time the two of them were so close to each other. They were so close that he could clearly see the birthmark on Scarlett's left cheek.
In the past, Scarlett would cover it with a thick layer of makeup. But today, she was bare-faced and didn't hide it at all.
Ethan's beautiful lips moved slightly, but he didn't say anything.
Just as she wouldn't ask about his matters, he wouldn't ask about hers.
They were two unrelated people, so there was no need for them to be involved.
The steamed buns didn't have much taste, but Scarlett had been hungry all day, so she wasn't picky about it.
Scarlett was a bit choked from eating, so she went back to the kitchen to drink some water. When she returned to the kitchen, Ethan was no longer there. There was a bag on the small stool.
Scarlett opened it to take a look.
It was cake....