I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Chapter 29: Night Trouble

The sky had completely darkened, and the carriage was speeding through the starry night.

The Seventh Young Master wore a face full of frustration, gripping the door of the carriage and asking Gao Yuan, "Where are we?"

"It should be close now?" Gao Yuan answered uncertainly.

"If you can even get the road wrong, what use are you to me!" the Seventh Young Master cursed. "Once we get back, you're fired!"

"I can drive the carriage, but I haven't learned how to read the roads!" Gao Yuan quickly deflected, "Why don't you blame Zheng Fa? He couldn't even recognize the way home!"

The two turned their heads and glared at Zheng Fa, who was standing to the side, seemingly uninterested in the situation.

Zheng Fa: …It’s actually my fault.

Once they left the city, all the roads looked the same, and who could tell which turn was the right one?

Not to mention, this place didn’t even have road signs, relying entirely on the old horse to recognize the way.

"Hmm, this road should be right! Can't be wrong!"

Fortunately, Zheng Fa had a good memory and, recalling the scenery from earlier, was able to find the right intersection.

Upon hearing Zheng Fa’s confident response, the Seventh Young Master sat back down in his seat, rubbing his stomach and frowning. "I’m so hungry! Do we have anything to eat?"

They had set out after lunch, and according to the speed of the carriage, they should have reached Zheng’s estate by dinner time.

But after taking a wrong turn, they had wasted most of the afternoon. Forget about dinner.

It was already past snack time.

All three were hungry.

Zheng Fa keenly noticed that when the Seventh Young Master said this, he was staring at the food box by his feet.

He thought for a moment and then picked up the food box.

The Seventh Young Master smiled and then watched as Zheng Fa hid the food box behind his back.

Not even going to let me see?

"Zheng Fa!"

"Hmm?" Zheng Fa looked somewhat confused.

"I'm hungry!"

"I'm hungry too." Zheng Fa replied with a look of shared sympathy.

"I saw it! You took so many snacks from the kitchen, they’re all inside!"

Seeing that Zheng Fa was pretending to be ignorant, the Seventh Young Master showed his true colors.

"They’re for my little sister," Zheng Fa coldly refused, "There’s only this much."

"…Brother!"

Although Zheng Fa had always considered himself more knowledgeable than the people of this world, he was still shocked by the Seventh Young Master's shamelessness.

"She's only six…" Zheng Fa didn’t say what was on his mind: "Aren’t you embarrassed?"

"I'm hungry!"

Zheng Fa sighed. The Seventh Young Master’s background likely meant that he had never known hunger in his life.

This was why he couldn't stand it now.

He opened the food box, which contained two small plates of snacks, all of which Zheng Fa had selected because he thought they tasted good.

By now, the people at Zhao Estate knew that Zheng Fa had some face in front of the Seventh Young Master. If he mentioned it in the kitchen, someone would make these snacks for him.

"Here!" He handed one plate to the Seventh Young Master.

The Seventh Young Master grabbed a piece of bean cake and shoved it into his mouth.

Zheng Fa thought for a moment, lifted the curtain of the carriage, and called to Gao Yuan, "Gao Yuan, you must be hungry after driving the whole way, too. Come, have some."

He offered the plate, and Gao Yuan nodded, eagerly grabbing a piece.

Zheng Fa thought to himself that they were at the age when they could eat a lot, and a single snack wouldn’t fill them up. He placed the food box in the carriage and said, "You can take more once you finish these."

The Seventh Young Master quickly finished a piece of the bean cake, then looked at Zheng Fa, who hadn’t taken any snacks for himself. He seemed puzzled and said, "Aren’t you going to eat?"

"I’m not hungry." Zheng Fa smiled.

The Seventh Young Master looked at his hand, which was already clean of crumbs, then at Zheng Fa. He suddenly remembered that they had all shared lunch together.

He and Gao Yuan were hungry, but Zheng Fa wasn’t?

Perhaps he wanted to save some for his sister?

The Seventh Young Master swallowed and said suddenly, "I’m not that hungry either. I won’t eat."

Outside the carriage, Gao Yuan also said, "There’s no water. If we eat too much, it might get stuck. I won’t eat either."

Zheng Fa really wasn’t that hungry. He was probably used to enduring hunger.

But he also wanted to leave a few pieces for his little sister.

These two…

He didn’t press them further, smiling as he closed the food box and said, "We’re almost there. We can eat once we arrive."

As Zheng Fa had said, in less than half an hour, they saw the shadow of the buildings under the starlight.

"We’ve arrived!"

The Seventh Young Master gazed at the small buildings in the distance, eager to jump out of the carriage.

Suddenly, the nearest house lit up a torch.

The sound of gongs and drums echoed.

The farmers, who had already gone to sleep, hurriedly woke up and lit candles in their homes.

The entire estate seemed to be shaken awake, descending into chaos.

"What’s going on?" the Seventh Young Master asked in shock, seeing the panic-stricken estate.

"They’re worried about bandits. We arrived too late. The watchmen couldn’t see the carriage clearly and thought we might be up to no good."

The Xuanyi Realm wasn’t peaceful.

Jingzhou City was fine, but the estates outside the city often had to face raids by bandits.

Every night, the estate had young and able-bodied people standing watch.

His tone was somewhat gloomy.

Zheng Fa’s father had been one of the watchmen the night the beast attacked…

By this time, the estate was already in chaos.

Zheng’s mother, holding a sleepy Zheng Shan, looked out the window.

"Mother?"

Zheng Shan felt her mother trembling.

Zheng’s mother forced a smile, though Zheng Shan, at the age of one, had no memory of her father’s passing.

But she never forgot that night.

It was the same gongs and drums, the same chaos.

After a while, a farmer suddenly rushed over, shouting, "It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s just the estate’s carriage arriving!"

Zheng Shan felt her mother’s grip on her arm suddenly loosen, and she heard her mother let out a breath above her head.

After a moment, Zheng’s mother suddenly froze, put her down, and ran outside in a panic.

"Mother? What’s going on?"

Zheng Shan watched her mother, barefoot, stumbling as she ran.

Zheng’s mother didn’t answer, nor did she dare to answer.

Some time ago, Wang Gui had been beaten by Madam, and when he was brought back, it was in a carriage.

It was the same night.

The estate’s people had carried the unconscious and near-death Wang Gui back then…

At the Wang Estate, Wang Gui had just put on his clothes and was excitedly chatting with his father.

"I told you Zheng Fa wouldn’t stay for long! We should have moved against the Zheng family earlier! Father, you kept saying to wait, but we could have dealt with them sooner!"

"Shut your filthy mouth." Wang's father scolded, but Wang Gui still wore a defiant expression.

Wang’s father knew that what his son said wasn’t wrong.

He was well aware of the Seventh Young Master’s temper, too. Though his son’s failure to accomplish anything was one thing, the Seventh Young Master himself was incredibly difficult to please.

Moreover, it wasn’t common for anyone to come out here at such a late hour.

Just like Zheng’s mother had thought, Wang’s father recalled the night his son was sent back home in such a state.

"Be cautious. It’s not wrong to be cautious. Besides, he was already rejected by the Seventh Young Master. His entire family is out here at the estate. Where could they possibly go? What are you rushing for?"

Wang’s father gave his son a stern lecture, then walked toward the estate gate.

Wang Gui followed behind with a smile, knowing that his father would no longer try to stop him in the future.

A carriage was slowly approaching. Wang Gui looked at Gao Yuan, the driver, and felt puzzled by the young and unfamiliar face.

Where was Zheng Fa? Was he lying inside the carriage?

He leaned forward to peek inside, only to be greeted by the sight of the carriage curtain lifting. The Seventh Young Master’s face appeared.

The Seventh Young Master?

Wang Gui stared in disbelief, unable to fathom why the Seventh Young Master was here. Could it be that he had come to take him back?

"Young Master!" he exclaimed, his heart swelling with excitement. "The Seventh Young Master came personally to pick me up! I swear I’ll do anything for him!"

His thoughts were racing with excitement, even imagining how he would show his loyalty by taking the Young Master to the famous Rainy Smoke Tavern.

"Ah? You live here too?" The Seventh Young Master, whose face was full of surprise, turned to look at Wang Gui. His face, though full of astonishment, appeared cold and indifferent, which made Wang Gui feel a strange chill in his heart.

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