Chapter 256: Can They Openly Protect Him Without Consequences?

Chapter 256: Can They Openly Protect Him Without Consequences?

The Yu family was crying and laughing as they quickly helped Huai Geer to his feet, hugging and embracing him.

Xingxing also wanted to hug Huai Geer, but he dodged slightly, feeling ashamed. "Big brother hasn't changed clothes for several days. I'm dirty," he said.

Xingxing, however, directly hugged Huai Geer's leg and said seriously, "Big brother is not dirty at all! Xingxing isn't afraid!"

Huai Geer's eyes welled up with tears.

The Yu family had wanted to invite the old Taoist priest to come back and celebrate with them, but they realized that he had already quietly left at some point.

Li Chunhua immediately said, "The Taoist Master likes the meals I cook. Tomorrow, I'll prepare a whole table of food and send it over to him!"

Just as the fortune slip Xingxing drew for Huai Geer indicated, he had turned danger into safety without a scratch!

Although he hadn't eaten or slept well in prison for the past few days, he was ultimately released with his innocence intact, which was the greatest fortune!

Li Chunhua was so overcome with emotion that she was nearly in tears.

The Yu family joyfully escorted Huai Geer as they left.

Many locals also walked out with the Yu family, offering their congratulations. "Congratulations, young Huai, on clearing your name!" they said.

Huai Geer showed a bright smile and cupped his hands to the surrounding well-wishers.

Li Xuefeng was pushed around by the crowd and slowly made her way out. But Meng Yunchang only glanced at her, and she froze, not daring to move.

The Yu family passed by her without even looking her way.

It was Li Chunhua who spat angrily at Li Xuefeng’s feet.

The group returned to the backyard of the Yu family's business. Shuang He, upon learning that the young master had returned, was crying and laughing. "I knew the young master would definitely be alright!"

Shuang He quickly brought out a prepared fire basin. "Step over this fire basin to rid yourself of bad luck," she said.

In her hands, she also held willow branches tied with red silk threads, dipped in salt water, which she sprinkled around Huai Geer as she muttered, "Bad luck be gone, bad luck be gone, bad luck be gone!"

The Yu family rejoiced.

"Huai Geer, are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" asked Wei Pozi, concerned about her grandson.

"Grandma, I'm not hungry. I just want to wash up first," Huai Geer scratched his head.

Fortunately, Shuang He had been boiling water at the stove, and Huai Geer carried two buckets of water into the room to wash and change clothes.

Li Chunhua, in the yard they rented, watched her son, who had lost some weight, enter the house with water buckets. Crying and laughing at the same time, she first cursed Meng Yunchang and Yi Wen for being worse than pigs and dogs, then laughed in relief that the Taoist priest and Xingxing were there to help.

"Meng Yunchang is the county magistrate's brother-in-law. I don't know how the county magistrate will handle him in the end," Yu Sanbao frowned. "But on the other hand, what could Huai Geer have done to offend that Meng guy?"

Li Chunhua said excitedly, "Huai Geer has always had a good temper. How could he possibly offend anyone? I just saw Li Xuefeng! Zhang Sanxian often brags to me that her niece married the county magistrate's brother-in-law as a concubine. It's probably that Li Xuefeng resents that our Huai Geer didn't care for her!"

Wei Pozi frowned, still not quite believing it.

In the village, there were so many who couldn't arrange marriages. Who would go as far as sending someone to prison?

Is there that much hatred?

But seeing how emotional Li Chunhua was at the moment, Wei Pozi didn't say anything.

"I'll go to the county office every day to check on the progress," said Li Chunhua, still teary-eyed but speaking fiercely. "I can't believe the county magistrate would have the nerve to openly protect that bastard!"

Everyone was talking among themselves.

Finally, Yu Laotou waved his hand. "Alright, let's leave it at that for now. Anyway, Huai Ge'er is back in one piece, and that's a blessing! By the way, Bai Ge'er and the others have taken the day off today. Once Huai Ge'er changes his clothes, we'll head home, prepare some good wine and food, and celebrate."

Everyone agreed with Yu Laotou's suggestion.

After Huai Ge'er finished washing up, Li Chunhua hugged her eldest son and cried again, overcome with relief and sorrow.

Wei Pozi felt a bit helpless. "Alright, Chunhua, Huai Ge'er is fine now. If you cry more, what if you cry away his good fortune?"

Her tears stopped immediately at those words.

Yu Sanbao harnessed the horse to the carriage. "Who wants to ride the carriage back?"

Since Wei Pozi and Yu Laotou were elderly, and Xingxing was the youngest, they naturally would ride in the carriage.

Everyone then looked at Huai Ge'er, urging him to ride in the carriage as well. He had just been released from prison, and they weren't sure if he was feeling weak.

But Huai Ge'er refused, pointing at the millstone in the yard. "I can roll this thing like a wheel—why would I need a carriage?"

Bai Ge'er and the others were even more unwilling to ride in the carriage.

After some back-and-forth, Yu Sanbao ended up taking Wei Pozi, Yu Laotou, Xingxing, and Li Chunhua, who was in a hurry to get home and start cooking.

When they arrived at Nantuo Village, Bai Xiaofeng, who had been waiting at home, was sitting at the front door, holding Bang Ge'er and basking in the sun.

Spotting the approaching carriage, Bai Xiaofeng's eyes lit up, and she immediately stood up. "Third Brother, you're back!"

But when the carriage stopped, only Wei Pozi, Yu Laotou, Li Chunhua, and Xingxing got off.

Huai Ge'er was not in sight.

Bai Xiaofeng's mind froze for a second.

Could something have happened to Huai Ge'er?

No, judging by the smiles on everyone's faces, that didn't seem right!

Bai Xiaofeng hesitated.

Just then, Bang Ge'er, still in Bai Xiaofeng's arms, stretched his arms toward Xingxing and babbled, "Ah, ah, ah."

Though Bang Ge'er was born premature, Bai Xiaofeng had been very careful during her pregnancy, and he grew into a healthy, chubby baby. Maybe Bang Ge'er remembered how Xingxing had called for help when his mother fell and started bleeding, saving him from a premature birth. Because of that, he felt particularly close to Xingxing and often stretched out his little arms to her, asking to be held.

But Xingxing was only four or five years old. How could she lift this chubby boy?

Xingxing looked embarrassed. "Oh..."

She'd tried before, but she was just too small to handle him. If Bai Xiaofeng hadn't been quick to catch both children, they might have fallen to the ground.

Bai Xiaofeng could only helplessly attend to her younger son first.

"What’s with the 'ah'? Xingxing can’t possibly lift you, you little chunk!" Bai Xiaofeng scolded jokingly.

Bang Ge'er, not understanding, continued to babble and stretch his little hands toward Xingxing.

"Let me hold him." Wei Pozi smiled and took Bang Ge'er from Bai Xiaofeng's arms.

Li Chunhua, excited, said to Bai Xiaofeng, "Huai Ge'er was framed, but he has been declared innocent in court and released! The younger ones didn't want to ride in the carriage, so they are walking back home. Second Sister-in-law, let's go to the kitchen and see what good dishes we have. Dad said we're throwing a big dinner tonight to celebrate together!"