41: Chapter 41 Wufu is very straightforward 41: Chapter 41 Wufu is very straightforward A silent night passed.
When Ah Jiu opened his eyes, he found himself in a strange place.
He sat up swiftly, subconsciously touching his face—the mask he used for disguise was still properly attached.
Something slid off his body; looking down, he saw an old quilt next to which stood a brazier.
Ah Jiu looked around and finally recognized his environment, also recalling the events of the day before, that ‘transaction’.
Suddenly, an image flashed through his mind: a small girl carrying him on her back, struggling forward in the rain, her tiny chin exposed yet showing no sign of fragility.
Was it that girl named Wufu who had brought him back here?
Ah Jiu was taken aback—it was hard to imagine that the girl who was only as tall as his chest could have carried him back home to take care of him.
After pondering for a moment, he stood up and walked out of the woodshed.
Madam Zhou had just come out of the kitchen and was startled to see him; she instinctively tried to hide back inside.
Ah Jiu was also surprised to see her and quickly steadied himself, clasping his hands in greeting, “You are…?”
“I am Wufu’s mother,” Madam Zhou said with a bow.
“My apologies for the intrusion,” Ah Jiu said, clasping his hands again after hearing her response.
Madam Zhou opened her mouth as if to say something, but then Wufu came out of the room.
“You’re awake?” Wufu stepped forward and then said to Madam Zhou, “Mother, let’s make some porridge today, make extra!”
Madam Zhou silently nodded and turned back into the kitchen, casting a wary glance at Ah Jiu.
“There is only my mother and me at home, so it’s inconvenient to keep you here.
Is there anything I can assist you with?” Wufu asked Ah Jiu bluntly.
Since a transaction had been made, he needed to complete the task of his employer.
Ah Jiu touched his abdomen and said, “I need to heal.”
Wufu looked him up and down and asked, “Hmm, do you need to avoid certain people?”
Ah Jiu was once again surprised and looked at Wufu.
“It’s not that I want to drive you away intentionally, but with only women at home, it’s really not convenient to have a man around,” Wufu explained.
“So, if you only need a few days to recover, I have…
cough, a secret place on the mountain.”
Ah Jiu narrowed his eyes.
What a considerate and intelligent girl, not probing into his origins or affairs, yet confidently addressing his predicament while curiously keeping her inquiries to herself—truly considerate beyond words.
After a moment of thought, Ah Jiu said, “Your arrangements will be fine.”
If it were indeed just the two women, his presence as an outsider would indeed be inconvenient, and he understood this.
Wufu nodded, “Then, is there any message you need to send to someone?” She saw the expression on Ah Jiu’s plain face as he looked at her and explained, “I thought you might need to.”
The person before her was of unknown status, but given his appearance in such a place in the mountains, he was likely on some mission.
If one is on a mission, there are usually contacts involved.
Ah Jiu said, “If possible, I hope you can make a trip.”
“Okay,” Wufu replied crisply.
“You rest for a while.
After breakfast, I will take you to a place on the mountain to settle down.”
She was indeed decisive and to the point, without a trace of superfluous talk.
Ah Jiu watched her walk away, casually washing up and brushing his teeth, completely acting as if he did not exist, with not a hint of affectation.
It was also in this moment that he recalled what they had just discussed and decided upon.
How strange—it was clearly a transaction, yet it didn’t feel out of place at all.
She truly was a peculiar woman.