At this moment, Liu Ziming, who was beside him, asked, "Are you Zhu Meng's people?"
The two glanced at each other, then nodded frantically, "Yes, we are from the Main Alliance, from the Main Alliance."
Liu Rumei finally breathed a sigh of relief. With a wave of her hand, she said, "Tie them up and take them down the mountain later."
Soon, the apples were all picked. Chen Xiaobei called everyone, and they shouldered their baskets and hurried back.
The days had already shortened considerably. By the time they descended the mountain, it was completely dark.
The crowd piled the apples onto Chen Xiaobei's old family cart and then left in order.
No one mentioned wages. Of course, they also knew that Chen Xiaobei would not shortchange them on their wages.
Only Liu Rumei stayed behind. Pointing at the two men captured on the mountain, she said, "Brother Xiaobei, please arrange a secure place to guard these two first. We'll discuss the rest after Liu Che returns."
Chen Xiaobei nodded, his mind carefully searching for several old houses in the village.
Any one of them would do to lock them up.
Thinking of this, he beckoned to Liu Ziming and Liu Ziliang. "Escort these two with me."
They arrived at a dilapidated house. Chen Xiaobei stepped forward and opened the door. "It'll be here. I'll bring them some food later."
The Liu brothers were merely working for money. After hearing this, they turned to leave. As soon as the Liu brothers were gone, the two men suddenly said to Chen Xiaobei, "Brother, please let us go. We'll give you silver."
Chen Xiaobei smiled and shook his head. "Letting you go is useless. Zhu Meng has already fled to Jizhou."
The two exchanged another glance. "We're not going to Jizhou, not going to Jizhou."
"You'd better wait. Miss Liu has already sent people up the mountain to find your companions. We'll discuss everything once you've all gathered."
"So, you'll have to bear with it for a couple of days."
The two men exchanged another look, their expressions conveying unspoken thoughts.
The one on the left slightly shook his head, and only then did the one on the right reluctantly agree.
Chen Xiaobei returned to his own home. Cui Hongyu and Huang Ying had already prepared dinner. They no longer needed to eat around the stone table. With the spacious new house, they naturally ate indoors.
Huang Ying, Cui Hongyu, Shen Ziyan, and the two maids made a full table.
Huang Ying had also specially prepared a pot of wine for Chen Xiaobei. However, when Chen Xiaobei suggested they all drink together, only Shen Ziyan agreed.
So be it. Chen Xiaobei wasn't too bothered by this. After all, no one was forcing anyone to drink. Drink if you want, don't drink if you don't.
Fortunately, he had Shen Ziyan for company.
However, after two cups of wine, Shen Ziyan also spoke, "Sister Hongyu, Sister Huang Ying, Brother Xiaobei, starting tomorrow, I won't be able to come over for dinner every day."
Chen Xiaobei's eyes widened in surprise. Who was this man again?
Cui Hongyu repeatedly shook her head. "No, no, how can you not come for dinner? It's just adding a pair of chopsticks for us."
"Yes, yes, Sister Ziyan, do you have other plans?"
Shen Ziyan smiled charmingly. "It's not that I have other plans, it's just that you are family, and I shouldn't always eat here. Besides, Xiao Hua and I are used to being alone. It's too lively, and I'm not used to it."
Chen Xiaobei understood Shen Ziyan's true feelings. If she and Huang Ying had come together before, their identities were the same, both outsiders.
But now it was different. Huang Ying had also become a mistress of the house, and only Shen Ziyan was a guest. This made her feel awkward and uneasy.
"Alright, since Sister Ziyan says so, then so be it. If you lack anything at home, I'll have Hongyu send it over."
Chen Xiaobei's words settled the matter.
It was clear that Shen Ziyan looked relieved.
As soon as Cui Hongyu saw her expression, she felt better herself. Constantly inviting someone for dinner had actually put pressure on Shen Ziyan.
After dinner, Shen Ziyan wisely took her leave, taking Huang Ying's maid, Cuckoo, with her.
Huang Ying was very helpless. She wanted to stay, but thinking about it, it was inconvenient for a maid to stay here. Moreover, this so-called maid was originally assigned to her by her master, and she treated her like a sister.
Cui Hongyu cleared away the dishes, reached out to take Chen Qiao'er, and was about to leave, but Huang Ying stopped her.
Huang Ying pulled Chen Qiao'er over. "Sister Hongyu, you stay here today, and I'll sleep with Qiao'er."
Cui Hongyu smiled and looked at her, then at Chen Xiaobei. "That won't do. How can you, who just got married, be driven out? I'll leave."
"Sister, I'll leave. You can't just be ignored by Brother Xiaobei because I've entered the house."
The two argued back and forth, their words enthusiastic. Chen Xiaobei listened, feeling speechless. They seemed to be yielding to each other, but it gave him the illusion that neither of them wanted to stay with him.
Thinking of this, he simply stood up. "Alright, neither of you needs to argue. Both of you stay here tonight, and I'll go sleep in the old house myself."
This.
Now it was Huang Ying and Cui Hongyu's turn to be stunned. They looked at each other. Cui Hongyu said softly, "Husband, please don't be angry. It's better for you to stay here. I'll go with Qiao'er."
"No, no, no, I'll go with Qiao'er." Huang Ying reached out to pull Chen Qiao'er again.
Seeing that they were about to argue again, Chen Xiaobei sighed helplessly. If they continued to fuss like this, the night would pass without any resolution.
"Alright, alright, both of you stop arguing. Listen to me."
Chen Xiaobei's mind recalled a famous saying: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays off.
He casually took out a copper coin.
He placed it on the table. "You two, watch carefully. From now on, Hongyu will stay in the old house, and Huang Ying, you'll stay here."
He decided to set the rules before anything else, so as to avoid any disputes. Then, Chen Xiaobei held the copper coin in his hand.
"Later, I'll throw the copper coin into the air. When it lands, if the side with writing is facing up, I'll go to the old house tonight..." Su Dan Novel Network.
Before he could finish, Huang Ying immediately laughed. "Okay, okay, I understand. If you go to the old house tonight, you'll stay here tomorrow night, and go to the old house the day after, right?"
Cui Hongyu also instantly understood and gave Huang Ying a look of approval.
Chen Xiaobei nodded. "Yes, that's the idea. But let's be clear in advance. On the fifth and tenth days, both of you will sleep in this house, and let me have a day off."
Hearing Chen Xiaobei's words, the two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
After they finished laughing, Chen Xiaobei tossed the copper coin into the air.
Clang. The copper coin landed on the table and bounced twice.
The final result, as Chen Xiaobei wished, was that the side with writing faced up.