Su Miaomiao smiled without a word, though in her heart she savored Cheng Hao’s declaration that she was his wife.
Seeing her expression, Cheng Hao understood what she was thinking. After bidding farewell, he took her aside to settle her down. The maids had already cleared out a space.
“You stay put here. I’ll go get a light blanket for you; it gets chilly at night.”
“Mm-hmm, okay. Go ahead, don’t worry about me.”
Su Miaomiao agreed sweetly, her eyes curving into smiles as she looked at him, as obedient as could be.
Seeing how good she was being, Cheng Hao couldn’t resist reaching out and patting her head. He thought how nice it would be if she were always this well-behaved and compliant; it would save him so much worry.
After settling Su Miaomiao, Cheng Hao strode out. Although there were two maids and two strong men on guard, and the Cheng family head and his wife were present, the strangers hiding in the shadows of the dilapidated temple still made him uneasy. He had to resolve this quickly.
Although Cheng Hao said he was going to fetch something, he was actually going to help. His family was not lacking in wealth, but perhaps influenced by his two grandfathers who had served in the army, he had never been pampered since childhood and had no airs of a young master. Moreover, to survive in this place, prestige within the caravan was equally important. Therefore, he couldn’t truly be idle. His excuse of fetching something was merely to appease Su Miaomiao; otherwise, she would insist on following, just as she always had. While it was heartwarming, her presence made him more easily distracted, as she was his soft spot. Especially since she had just recovered, he feared any mishap, and thus could not let her follow.
Cheng Hao’s departure was timely. The old steward was no longer young and was overwhelmed. Not everyone might listen to him, but after Cheng Hao went out, everyone gave him face. Moreover, as he had a background in management, he quickly made arrangements. The carriages were to have their doors and windows firmly shut, then unloaded. The horses were to be taken to a vacant stable and cleaned of any cobwebs or debris. Since they needed to continue their journey, the horses required rest and guaranteed health. Losing their means of transportation at such a time would make their escape even more difficult.
The goods in the mule carts could not be fully unloaded; it would take too much time to reload them later. He had to find the old steward to determine which cart held the supplies, then bring out what was needed for the night, and re-cover them tightly with tarpaulin to prevent water from getting in. Cheng Hao also managed to retrieve the box of jewelry the Cheng family head had set aside for Su Miaomiao. Under the pretense of taking it to his own carriage, he stored it in his spatial artifact. Only then did he continue to arrange other matters, including feeding the horses and mules. These supplies were available, as one wouldn't flee without provisions for their horses.
The clan relatives were also cooperating and helping. Some of them had agricultural backgrounds and were quite adept at manual labor. What surprised them was Cheng Hao’s attitude. The Cheng family head and his wife were enjoying their comfort inside, so why would they come to help? Cheng Hao, as the legitimate young master, should not have had to work, yet he was there, helping to move and unload things, and to stable the horses. He showed no fear of dirt or exhaustion, and his work was as efficient as theirs. His tone, though amiable, was decisive and convincing, and everyone found themselves unconsciously following his arrangements. Only afterwards did they marvel that some people were born with leadership qualities. Now, all the servants and clan members, both inside and out, were convinced of his competence.
In those times, illegitimate children were treated poorly. While the family head and his wife rested, the others had to lend a hand. Cheng Hao saw his two illegitimate half-brothers diligently helping, and their mother was also helping to pull the tarpaulin against the wind. Cheng Hao offered words of thanks for their hard work to them, as well as to the passing clan members and servants. This touched everyone deeply, making them feel their efforts were worthwhile and motivating them to work even harder. How could they complain and drag their feet when the young master himself was personally helping?
With everyone working together, they finally completed the arrangements just before the heavy rain began to fall. Cheng Hao called everyone to the main hall to rest. The old steward, however, was too worried about the horses and luggage to leave the stable, insisting on staying to guard them so that others could rest easy. Lai Fu was conflicted. Uncle Ji had treated him well, and he should be serving the young master and mistress. Yet, he couldn’t bear to leave the old man alone. Noticing this, Cheng Hao instructed, “Lai Fu, stay with Uncle Ji. It’s cold at night, so be sure to keep warm.”
Lai Fu gladly agreed, thinking how incredibly kind the young master was. Uncle Ji initially wanted to refuse, but Cheng Hao said there were plenty of people in the main hall, and maids as well, so he wouldn’t need to be served. Only then did Uncle Ji reluctantly agree, and he and Lai Fu found a place to sit. Concerned that there weren’t enough people for security, Cheng Hao assigned a few young servants to stay behind. They all readily accepted.
After distributing dry rations, Cheng Hao finally instructed them to boil some water using firewood to drink, emphasizing that they absolutely should not drink cold water, as it could cause stomach upset and illness, affecting their journey. Uncle Ji and Lai Fu agreed, and the other servants nodded in assent. This place was a resting stop for travelers, and there was no shortage of firewood. Every place had its own customs; those who had temporarily stayed there would consciously leave something behind. Those who were capable would leave some dry rations, while those who were not would gather extra firewood, thus leaving some warmth and help for those who came later. This custom was even followed by the poorest beggars. Otherwise, during a heavy rain like this, where would they find dry firewood to stay warm and cook? Cheng Hao greatly admired this martial world custom, and it was even more commendable that everyone adhered to it. Since they were a large group and would consume a lot, they would simply leave some dry rations when they departed.
After making arrangements, Cheng Hao took the light blanket back to the main hall. As soon as he entered, he was called over by the Cheng family head and praised profusely. Seeing the smiling faces of the other clan members, he realized that his efforts in helping with the arrangements had been reported. The Cheng family head, puffed up with praise from everyone, was naturally delighted by his son’s progress. He chuckled and said to Cheng Hao, “Well done, my boy! I always thought you were only good at your studies, but I never imagined you had such capabilities?”
Cheng Hao merely smiled. Was this the time for praise? He was more worried about someone’s displeasure. Looking at Su Miaomiao, he saw that her expression was relatively calm, so he knew it wasn’t a major issue. However, the hint of loneliness in her eyes was not lost on him. Cheng Hao politely declined their invitations and walked directly towards Su Miaomiao. The Cheng family head, still basking in the flattery of the clan members and in a good mood, didn't mind Cheng Hao leaving. Seeing him walk towards Su Miaomiao, he jokingly remarked to the others that once married, a man only thought of his wife, which made the grown men roar with laughter, as if they all understood.
Cheng Hao ignored their teasing and, upon reaching Su Miaomiao, draped the light blanket over her. Since his outer clothing was dirty, he took it off before hugging her. “You’ve only just recovered. If I hadn’t stopped you, you would have insisted on coming along, and you wouldn’t have been able to bear it,” he explained in a low voice. Su Miaomiao hugged him back, burying her face in his chest, finally feeling at ease. She didn’t care what others thought; she had always only wanted him. Then, she said in a low voice, “I’m not angry. Do you always think of me as someone who gets angry over nothing?”