After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 12.1
Chapter 12: The Body Of A Boy Is Easy To Dispose
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– “Is that old woman his mother?”
– “That child doesn’t look like the official’s son either; the two of them don’t look very similar.”
Li Yifang’s remarkable and dignified appearance, along with his official attire, naturally attracted the attention and discussions of passersby as he walked in the direction of Ruan An.
Observing Li Yifang’s expression, Ruan An felt that he must have recognized them as the “grandmother and grandson.”
She felt somewhat embarrassed, thinking that their initial meeting had caused some trouble for Li Yifang and misled other girls into thinking he was already married. Ruan An quickly stood up from her seat.
However, Li Yifang spoke before her. His voice was deep and clear, like a jade chime, as he asked, “Are you the physician Ruan Gu mentioned in the magistrate’s letter?”
Li Yifang’s attitude towards people was mild, and every gesture exuded the demeanor of a gentleman. However, there was a faint sense of detachment in his demeanor. Despite his young age, he possessed a kind of upright and resolute quality that usually only mature men had.
Ruan An secretly thought that Li Yifang’s future in officialdom would be bright and smooth. It’s just that he was still young, and with a few more years of experience, he would likely be promoted to the position of chief magistrate in the capital.
Ruan An nodded slightly and replied warmly, “My grandson and I have just arrived. I apologize for any trouble, Young Master Li.”
“No trouble.”
Li Yifang finished speaking and then turned his gaze towards Ruan Xi, who was standing by Ruan An’s side.
As soon as the little boy saw him, he smiled warmly. His bright black eyes, like morning stars, turned into two crescent shapes with the smile. The chubby cheeks even showed two small dimples.
“Hello, Uncle Li~”
After Ruan Xi sweetly called out, the passersby couldn’t help but take a few more glances at the handsome boy. His obedient and cute face seemed to melt the hearts of everyone who passed by.
Li Yifang couldn’t help but be slightly stunned.
He was not someone who liked children; he always found them noisy and unruly. However, a child as well-behaved and adorable as Ruan Xi was hard for anyone to dislike. Moreover, Ruan Gu, who came from Jiazhou, was also a kind and gentle old lady.
Li Yifang was infected by the boy’s radiant smile, lowered his guard a bit, and spoke in a gentle tone to Ruan An, “It’s not convenient to talk here. Let’s find a different place to continue our conversation.”
As the sky darkened, Ruan An and Ruan Xi followed Li Yifang to a tavern. They settled in a private room, and had a simple meal, and Ruan An didn’t want to trouble Li Yifang too much. She just wanted to meet him first and explain her situation to the man, half-truthfully.
Li Yifang listened patiently, and Ruan An took out the ginseng she had prepared earlier, offering it to him. She spoke warmly, “I heard that your mother’s health isn’t very good, so I found a high-quality mountain ginseng to help improve her condition. People of her age need these nourishing ingredients to maintain their vitality.”
However, Li Yifang shook his head and declined to accept the ginseng. He said in a calm tone, “Since I have a close personal relationship with the county magistrate, and he entrusted me to take care of you and your grandson, I cannot accept this ginseng. Please keep it and use it to enhance your own health, elderly lady.”
The words didn’t sound insincere or excuses. They seemed to be just as the county magistrate had described it – Li Yifang had always maintained a clean and upright style.
“Then, thank you very much, Young Master Li.”
Li Yifang took a sip of tea and asked, “Have you and your grandson decided where to stay?”
Ruan An shook her head. She had temporarily rented a room at an inn near the Western Market, but an inn was not suitable for long-term residence. She was about to inquire about the best place to rent a house when Li Yifang, following the magistrate’s letter, had already prepared his private residence in Yan Kang Alley.
Though this small courtyard was hidden in the city, it was close to various shops such as eateries, tea stalls, and soup shops. The courtyard had bamboo-lined walls, numerous elegant flowers and trees, and even a pond with colorful fish.
Following Li Yifang across a stone bridge over the pond, Ruan An and Ruan Xi entered the main hall of the house, which still retained the layout of a study.
Li Yifang explained to them, “The lanes here are quiet, and the public order is good. I prepared for the imperial examination here a few years ago.”
He spoke without noticing that Ruan Xi had been quietly observing him with her bright eyes.
Ruan An felt that Li’s mother must be a very insightful person. Li Yifang was originally from Jiazhou, but she couldn’t detect any Jiazhou accent in his speech, nor did he seem like anything but a native of Chang’an.
“Old lady, you’ll have to go to the government office yourself for the matters of the pass. I won’t overstep my authority to help you with these things. The only thing I can do for you is to find you a peaceful place to stay. I will send someone to bring your belongings from the inn later, so you don’t need to make another trip.”
Ruan An and Ruan Xi quickly expressed their gratitude to Li Yifang once again. As he was about to leave, Ruan An handed him the ginseng root and earnestly said, “We really have no way to repay you. Please accept this ginseng root, Junior Magistrate Li.”
Li Yifang fell silent for a moment. When he looked into Ruan An’s eyes, he felt that her pupils were clear and lacked the cloudiness that old people usually had. Those clear and bright eyes didn’t seem like those of an elderly person.
The man didn’t think much about it, assuming that the herbalist Ruan had been living in seclusion in the mountains, so her temperament was different from ordinary elderly people.
“Uncle Li, please accept it,” Ruan Xi said softly.
After a moment of silence, Li Yifang looked at the little guy with a gentle expression and replied, “Alright.”
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