Abandoning Wife and Selling Daughter? Turning Around to Marry a Powerful Minister and Wiping Out Your Entire Clan! - Chapter 25

Han Boguang didn’t sleep well the whole night, but Han Changshu, once he made up his mind, didn’t think about anything else.

He could see it clearly— that woman would definitely take them in. If she didn’t intend to, why would she give them that piece of paper?

The two brothers carried the packed food boxes and arrived early at Qinghua Alley on Dongshi Street to wait.

It was still the same tree, and they were still squatting there. The only difference was that Han Boguang was holding the same food box from yesterday.

When Zhang Xiaolan saw them, she truly wanted to laugh.

However, she woke up a little late today and had to rush to the kitchen courtyard.

Although she was temporarily helping with making pastries, it wasn’t an excuse to be late— after all, she wasn’t a real chef.

As for the two squatting under the tree, she would just let them keep guessing.

When the Han brothers saw Zhang Xiaolan, they were about to stand up and greet her, but she simply glanced at them and walked straight inside.

Their hearts tightened.

“Brother, do you think she changed her mind?” Han Changshu was no longer sure.

“Let’s just wait.” Han Boguang kept a straight face. He didn’t mind— after all, they had offended her yesterday. Waiting a little longer was only fair.

Han Changshu nodded, and the two brothers continued squatting under the tree.

But from morning until the wei hour (around 1-3 p.m.), the time was too long. Not only did their legs go numb, but their stomachs started growling again.

By the wei hour, Zhang Xiaolan came out through the back door and saw the two of them sitting directly on the ground, their faces pale, lips dull— clearly starving.

She felt a little guilty. She had been too busy today and hadn’t had time to bring them food.

Oh well, she would just share some of her meal with them later.

She gestured for the two to follow, and the three of them slowly walked to Zhang Xiaolan’s residence.

Zhang Xiaolan took the food box to the kitchen, while the brothers sat properly at the table in the courtyard.

When she placed the food in front of them, both were surprised.

She gestured for them to eat and started eating on her own.

The two brothers hesitated at first— after all, they weren’t servants yet, so there was no reason to accept another free meal.

But they were starving, and the food smelled too good.

Before they knew it, they had devoured everything in their bowls.

“Are you full?” Zhang Xiaolan put down her chopsticks and asked.

The two nodded. Zhang Xiaolan was about to clean up and have them sign the contract, but the brothers, wanting to prove themselves, quickly gathered the dishes, took them to the kitchen, and even washed them.

After washing, Han Boguang noticed that the water jar in the kitchen was nearly empty, so he picked up the carrying pole and buckets, ready to fetch water.

Zhang Xiaolan quickly stopped them.

“Come here first.” She had taken them in as helpers, not as servants. “Let me explain what you’ll be doing next.”

The brothers glanced at each other, put down the buckets, and sat at the table, heads lowered like quails.

Zhang Xiaolan knocked on the table and had them sign the contract first.

Then she gave them their first task.

“You both need to study more.”

The brothers froze, looking even more like dumb quails.

“I’m not asking you to take the imperial exam, but you need to recognize more characters,” Zhang Xiaolan continued, seeing their blank faces. “You need to learn bookkeeping, arithmetic, guest etiquette, self-defense, and even disguise techniques from me.”

Watching their mouths drop open wider and wider, Zhang Xiaolan decided to head inside and fetch the money for their contracts, giving them some time to process everything.

After a long while, Han Changshu finally spoke, “Brother, is Lady Zhang planning to teach us skills instead of making us servants?”

Han Boguang wasn’t sure either. But when Zhang Xiaolan placed the silver in front of them, he hesitantly asked, “Lady Zhang, this… this is too much.”

Fifteen taels per person was indeed a lot. Together, it was enough to buy three Kunlun slaves. Han Changshu secretly thought the same.

“It’s not too much. I want your loyalty, and you both are smart. I have my reasons.” Zhang Xiaolan smiled mysteriously.

The Han brothers naturally had no objections.

Zhang Xiaolan took them to the city office to officially register the contract and verify their identities. From that moment on, they officially belonged to Zhang Xiaolan.

But Zhang Xiaolan didn’t have much time. She still had to return to work in the afternoon, so she only instructed them to report to her residence tomorrow for further instructions before leaving in a hurry.

“Brother, should we go home now?” Han Changshu was still dazed and asked his brother about the next step.

“We’ll go home first and leave the money with our little sister. Don’t tell Grandma yet— just say we found work.” Han Boguang was also a bit shaken today, but as the eldest, he had to make a decision.

With that, they headed home.

As people left, others arrived.

Madam Lin had been hiding nearby and saw everything. But since she was too far away, she couldn’t hear their conversation. She only felt that something suspicious was going on.

“That Zhang woman wears a married woman’s hairstyle, but I’ve never heard of her having a family. Hmph, a grown woman entangled with street thugs— she must be trouble!”

Back at the kitchen courtyard, everyone was already busy. Since Madam Lin arrived late, Steward Zhang naturally scolded her.

She worked for a while, but soon felt a stomachache and went to the latrine. By the time she came out, quite some time had passed.

Afraid that Steward Zhang would scold her again, she hurried back to the courtyard.

Bang!
She had no idea what she bumped into, but pain shot through her forehead, making her want to curse.

Opening her eyes, she saw the fine cotton robe of the other person and immediately shut her mouth. Instead, she put on a pained expression, looking pitifully at him.

Liu Feng looked at the burly woman before him, who was trying to appear delicate. He had no patience for such acts, but his master had given him a task, and he had to do it properly.

“I apologize, madam,” Liu Feng said, bowing. “I only wish to ask about someone. If you can help, I will reward you generously.”

Seeing Liu Feng’s tall posture and noble manners, Madam Lin was no longer angry. And when she heard about a reward, she became even more delighted.

“Please, sir, ask away. I will tell you everything I know!” Madam Lin mimicked the customers in the teahouse, trying to act refined— though in Liu Feng’s eyes, it only made her more repulsive.

Still, he had no other choice. The others were too busy, and he couldn’t ask directly. If he ran into his former mistress, she might turn him over to the authorities.

Liu Feng lowered his gaze and handed over a gold melon-shaped ingot. “May I ask, is Master Zhao still the one making Crystal Dragon Phoenix Pastries in the kitchen?”

Madam Lin thought it was something important. She snatched the gold ingot, eyes full of joy. “Master Zhao injured his hand a few days ago and can’t cook.”

Liu Feng waited for her to continue, but she also waited for him to ask more— after all, if each question earned a gold ingot, why say too much at once?

With no other choice, Liu Feng handed over another gold ingot. “Then who is making the pastries now? My master enjoyed them and wants to hire the chef.”

Madam Lin grabbed the gold ingot and quickly tucked it into her sleeve. “It’s the Zhang woman now.”

With that, she left.

Hmph. She had her grudge against Zhang, but using her name to earn two gold ingots was fair.

But if Zhang left, who would bring customers? Who would give out kitchen bonuses?

Having tasted extra money, Madam Lin didn’t want to lose it.

Liu Feng was dumbfounded— two gold ingots, and all he got was two sentences?

Now, he still wasn’t sure if this Zhang woman was his former mistress.

What should he do now?