Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

The moon was bright, the stars were few, and the night was as cool as water.

Two shadowy figures moved through the courtyard, quickly and expertly making their way to the kitchen.

Opening the kitchen door, Fang Zheng lit several candles and placed them on the stove, instantly brightening the room.

Lai Gou'er still wore a deathly expression, looking utterly hopeless.

Fang Zheng, seeing his miserable state, couldn't help but get angry: "Alright! Are you done yet? You deserved that beating! If I were him, I'd have hit you too!"

"I told you to make an impression, not to make enemies! What's done is done, alright? At least the impression is made. I'll find a way to make it up to you."

Lai Gou'er leaned against the stove, sighing: "It's not that, I'm just afraid she'll find someone to beat me up again tomorrow. I can't take it anymore."

Fang Zheng, too lazy to bother with him, began rummaging through the kitchen.

After searching for a while, he couldn't help but curse: "Damn it! Are the Chu family all pigs? How can they eat so much! They didn't leave me a single scrap! No, we can't leave empty-handed. Hurry up and help me search."

Lai Gou'er, enduring the pain in his body, struggled to his feet and joined the search.

Before long, Fang Zheng was completely discouraged.

The kitchen was truly empty, with only some rotten vegetable leaves and pickled vegetables... not a single piece of meat!

Fortunately, Lai Gou'er found two pieces of tofu, which at least provided some protein.

The two of them gathered the rotten vegetable leaves, arranging them on a plate.

The tofu was sliced and placed on a plate, and they set up a clay pot, sitting on the floor.

Watching the water in the pot gradually boil, Lai Gou'er pursed his lips, complaining: "Didn't you say we were going to eat something good? This isn't even as good as what we ate this afternoon."

"Just make do. A thief never leaves empty-handed. We had bad luck today, we'll try again tomorrow!" Fang Zheng threw the tofu and pickled vegetables into the pot: "Actually, it's not bad. Isn't this kind of like hot pot?"

"As the saying goes, eating pickled vegetables with tofu is better than being the emperor... Ouch!... Damn it, who's there?"

Just as he was adding vegetables, clear footsteps suddenly came from the doorway. Fang Zheng decisively blew out the candles and hid the clay pot in a corner.

Lai Gou'er also felt a tightening in his heart, quickly hiding under the stove.

Hearing the sound of someone rummaging, Fang Zheng chuckled inwardly.

Interesting! We've run into a colleague. Luckily, there's only one person.

He then poked Lai Gou'er with his finger.

Although the kitchen was completely dark, Lai Gou'er understood immediately.

Almost at the same time as Fang Zheng, he stood up and reached towards the source of the sound!

Lai Gou'er circled around and grabbed the figure, and before the person could shout, Fang Zheng went straight for a chokehold!

The first attempt landed on the shoulder, the second found its mark.

"Catch the thief! You audacious thief, daring to steal from my Chu family, hand over all the money you have!"

"Uh... uh... uh..." The thief, tightly choked, could barely breathe.

Lai Gou'er exclaimed in surprise: "Brother, it sounds like a woman."

Fang Zheng slightly loosened his grip and felt around with his fingers.

No Adam's apple... it really is a woman, and her skin is quite smooth.

"Don't you dare scream, or I'll strip you naked and hang you in the courtyard!"

With that, Fang Zheng relit the candles. When he stepped forward to take a look, he was immediately stunned: "Xinzhu?"

"Fang Tangjing? What are you doing here! Let me go!"

Xinzhu's face was filled with anger.

Lai Gou'er behind him hurriedly released her, secretly taking a deep breath into his palm...

Fang Zheng sneered: "Heh, what else would I be doing? Waiting for a rabbit to run into the snare! You female thief!"

"I..." Xinzhu never expected Fang Zheng to turn the tables on her!

Turning her head to see that it was Lai Gou'er, her expression became even uglier!

"Lai Fu? You two, stealing food, are you! You just wait, I'm going to tell the Second Miss."

"Gou'er! Seize her!" Lai Gou'er quickly restrained Xinzhu again.

Fang Zheng squatted down, picked up the clay pot, grabbed a piece of tofu, and stuffed it into Xinzhu's mouth.

"You're stealing food, are you? You just wait, I'm going to tell Master right now!"

"Sizzle... ha... sizzle... That's hot, you bastard!" The freshly cooked tofu burned Xinzhu's tongue, making her speech unclear.

"Xinzhu, calm down. Can we talk properly now?"

"Can... can... let me go first."

Xinzhu lowered her head, feeling miserable. She just wanted to get something to eat, how did she run into these two jinxes? She really had bad luck!

Relighting several candles, the kitchen was bright again.

Lai Gou'er quickly found a small stool and placed it behind Xinzhu.

The stool was probably used for picking vegetables, as it was the only one. Fang Zheng and the other two remained sitting on the floor.

The three sat in a triangle.

Xinzhu stared silently at the ground, not showing any intention of speaking.

Fang Zheng observed her for a moment, then with a "smack," he raised his hand and slapped Lai Gou'er across the face!

"Xinzhu, I heard about what happened today. Gou'er's offensive words were due to my poor guidance as his elder brother. I apologize on his behalf. I'm sorry."

Xinzhu raised her head, pursed her lips, and then continued to stare at the ground.

Lai Gou'er covered his face aggrievedly, not daring to make a sound, while Fang Zheng continued to speak.

His voice sounded somewhat dejected: "There was a reason for this. Xinzhu, to be honest, Gou'er has a childhood sweetheart who looks a lot like you. She died of pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of fourteen, and later, both his parents passed away. As soon as Gou'er saw you, he mentioned her to me, and then he thought of his parents. Since entering the Chu family, he hasn't been able to sleep at night. He was injured during the day while working for me, and he even took my place. It's been three nights since he's slept, and he can't eat."

"I think... he's probably so tired that he's confused. That's why he said such rude things when he saw you."

"Tonight, it's because he hasn't eaten all day. I was afraid he'd collapse, so I wanted to bring him to the kitchen to see if we could find something he likes to eat."

Lai Gou'er looked at Fang Zheng's lies with admiration. Seeing Fang Zheng's eyes flash over, he immediately acted like an idiot.

It was as if someone had sucked out his brainstem. He sat on the ground, tilting his head and staring straight ahead with a grin.

Xinzhu's heart trembled, and her expression softened involuntarily.

They're all poor people's children, this kind of experience is imaginable... I didn't expect him to have suffered so much?

She glanced at Lai Gou'er, seeing his mentally challenged appearance, and couldn't help but feel a sense of sympathy.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng revealed a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

He raised his hand, ready to slap Lai Gou'er across the face again!

However, this movement was extremely exaggerated! Full of flaws!

Just as his palm was about to land, Xinzhu spoke: "Cough... forget it, it was all a misunderstanding. I don't blame him. Don't hit him again."

Lai Gou'er's eyes immediately flashed with brilliance.

Damn it! Did he really make up for it?

Big! Brother! Awesome!

......

[SSS-level handsome guy and beauty check-in point, S-level is prohibited from participating]