Chapter 501: Softened stance
"Beijiang."
Though Han Ruochen did not raise her voice like Meng Yunhan, it was enough to make Han Beijiang flinch. It was clear that the boy was quite scared. Seeing him like this, even if Zhai Muchen did not want to offend Han Ruochen, he could not help but say, "I know that you are angry because you were worried; why don’t you talk it out with him? He is still a child and doesn’t know any better."
When Han Ruochen heard his words, she was both helpless and annoyed. Did she look like she was angry? She was only worried that this little brat would get lost! The county might not be as big as the capital; it was still quite big. What was more, human traffickers were running rampant in the city; if Han Beijiang didn’t run into Zhai Muchen, Han Ruochen feared thinking about the consequences.
However, upon seeing the worried look on Han Beijiang’s face, she could not bring herself to scold him. She sighed and then reached out to hug him. "Beijiang, why did you leave the house on your own? Don’t you know how dangerous it is? Sister is only worried that you will get lost and she won’t be able to find you."
When Han Beijiang saw that Han Ruochen was speaking calmly to him, he also relaxed and admitted his fault, "I am sorry, sister. I just wanted to go to school." He had no other intentions, nor did he want to trouble his siblings; all he wanted was to continue his studies. He did not like staying at home with his mom and Han Ziyan. They only knew how to mock him all the time.
Han Ruochen’s heart started to ache when she heard her younger brother’s response. He was so young, and yet he had to worry about so many things. "You don’t have to worry about anything. Since you like going to school, I will definitely arrange something for you."
At the thought of how Meng Yunhan had intervened and caused Han Beijiang to suffer, Han Ruochen could not help but grit her teeth. It seemed like she had to start picking up her pace and collect evidence of her mother’s debauchery. Only then would she be able to sleep peacefully.
"Thank you for bringing him back, Brother Muchen." Though Han Ruochen was furious, she still composed herself. There was no point in losing her temper in front of Zhai Muchen, lest the man think that she was unreasonable. Han Ruochen did not know why she cared about Zhai Muchen’s opinion so much, but she did.
"There is no need to thank me."
Zhai Muchen waved her gratitude aside, but maybe he could not settle the emotions churning in his heart, so he ended up asking, before he could think it through, "Do you know Zhao Mingzhu very well?"
"I don’t know him very well... it’s just that we have met twice." Han Ruochen replied honestly.
"Twice?" Wasn’t that considered a lot of times?
"Yes." Han Ruochen frowned when she noticed something amiss with Zhai Muchen’s tone. "Wasn’t it you, Brother Zhai, who sent Brother Zhao to pass me the money the last time? Including that time, it can be considered that it is a total of two times." Han Ruochen stretched out her hand and showed two fingers. However, as soon as she finished speaking— there was a sudden change in his expression, and it made her wonder if there was something wrong with the man.
Looking at Han Ruochen’s nervous expression, Zhai Muchen’s face that was shrouded in gloomy clouds, turned bright and clear. His pursed lips relaxed, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a slight smile.
"So he was the one who sent you money the last time?" Zhai Muchen had no idea whom he had sent when he received the call. Back then, he was rather anxious when he received Han Ruochen’s call. Because of Han Ruochen’s crying at the other end of the phone, his heart started to burn like fire. At that time, he wished he could immediately gallop over, fast as a horse, to Han Ruochen’s side.
Zhai Muchen did not expect that he would, unfortunately, receive a mission assigned by the top authorities at that very juncture. In the face of national interest, even if Zhai Muchen was unwilling, he had to put his personal matters aside. Thus, he could only find someone to send the money to Han Ruochen.
At that time, Zhai Muchen was so anxious that he did not even have the slightest bit of idea of whom he handed the money envelope to. It was only today that he realised that he ended up playing the role of Cupid for Zhao Mingzhu. If he had known that Zhao Mingzhu would end up getting infatuated with Han Ruochen, he would have sent someone else. But then again, this woman was too pretty to ignore. No matter which man he sent, he would have fallen for Han Ruochen.
"Brother Zhao? Yes, he was the one who sent the money." Han Ruochen had no idea why the man was asking the same question. She hugged Han Beijiang closer to her because, for some reason, she suddenly felt a chill climb up her spine. Hugging Han Beijiang close to her body, she felt a bit warmer. However, even then the chill did not vanish, and her spine continued to tingle as if something wrong was going to happen.
Even Han Beijiang hugged his sister a little tighter, even though he was not used to being close to someone. For some reason, he too felt terrified for his sister.
"Brother Zhao? It seems like you are quite friendly with him, Ruochen." Zhai Muchen’s expression changed when he heard how friendly Han Ruochen was being toward Zhao Mingzhu. "He is younger than you by countless years. Do you know this, Ruochen?"
"Then are you asking me to call him by his name?" Han Ruochen asked back tentatively. Was he upset because of this small matter?
Zhai Muchen : "..."