9 The Woodcutters Son 2 (2/2)

The old man seemed to pause for a moment as he contemplated on what to say next, ”Well, it seems like you're a traveler so let me give you this advice. It'll do you good to stay away from him.”

Li Wei didn't know what to say, she only thanked the man before walking up to the stairs. There's no way she would judge a stranger based on the words of another stranger, but she had no more energy to argue with the old man. Also, who told that boy to annoy her earlier? She was in no way obligated to protect him when he was rude to her. Well, she was rude too, but he was more rude!

In the morning, Li Wei stopped by the counter again as she came down the stairs. This time, it was the old man's wife at the counter. She greeted the wife as she returned the two keys, ”Good morning, aunty. Here are the keys.”

The wife quickly stashed the keys away and whispered, ”Young girl, I heard that you had an encounter with the woodcutter's son yesterday?”

”It seems so.” Li Wei had no idea where this was going, but what was the deal with everyone showing interest in her personal business?

”Oh no, I feel bad for you. So unfortunate of you to bump into him. Yesterday he came here trying to sell fire woods to us, but I strongly rejected. The old man wanted to help him, but I forbidded him. Who knows, maybe those fire woods turned unfortunate at the boy's touch. I'd even say, the conversation you had with him was too long. No one dares to speak to him more than three sentences here in Ta'lin Village--”

”Aunty, I have to leave now. Hui, I'm ready.” Li Wei loudly interrupted the woman's sentence as she saw Hui walking inside to retrieve the belongings in her hands. Before she ran out, she spoke bluntly, ”Take care. I hope you'll focus more on good hospitality and less on gossip from now on.”

In the carriage, Li Wei pushed aside the curtains stared at the direction the boy had gone in. She didn't know why, but she couldn't stand the woman's gossip any longer. Why was the old couple so biased against the boy? It's not as if he forced them to his fire woods.

On the ride, she only closed her eyes silently as she once again avoided talking to San'er. She was still annoyed and thus, she cursed at him inside her head.

Damn that woodcutter's son!

How dare that boy brought up marriage over a piece of jade?

She may not have been the only one cursing that boy, for that afternoon, the old couple should soon find a surprising gift she left in the room in the corner of the second floor-- a large pile of freshly chopped fire woods from the woodcutter's son whom they spoke so ill of.

Although she was in a sour mood, Li Wei almost broke into laughter as she imagined the shooked expressions on the old couple's faces.