After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 56

Following the direction of the hand, everyone saw a tall, imposing man, covered in dust, appear in front of the stall.

His face was stern, and the scar on his brow bone looked somewhat intimidating in the winter sun. He was Zhou Han, who had just returned from escorting goods from Liangzhou!

Zhou Han’s eyes were as cold as knives as he stared at Yang Laowu. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a chilling sense of oppression: “Try touching her?”

Yang Laowu winced in pain, looked up and met Zhou Han’s fierce gaze, then heard people around him whisper, “It’s Zhou Han!” “Sang Yatou’s fiancé is back!”

He felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him, instantly sobering him up and making him cower.

He suddenly realized why the Lin family had been so “tough” before—it turned out they had this “thug” backing them up! A wise man doesn’t fight a losing battle, so how could he dare to act tough again?

Yang Laowu immediately forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. With his wrist still gripped by Zhou Han, he could only bow and beg for mercy repeatedly: “Brother Zhou… Brother Zhou! It’s a misunderstanding! It’s all a misunderstanding! I was blinded by greed and confused for a moment! Please… please have mercy! I’ll leave right now! I’ll leave right now!”

Zhou Han snorted coldly and suddenly flung his wrist away. Yang Laowu staggered a few steps and almost fell.

Ignoring the pain and his pride, he clutched his swollen wrist and, amidst the scornful stares and whispers of the crowd, slunk away without looking back, not even daring to return to his own shop.

Zhou Han turned around and looked at Lin Sang, his coldness instantly turning into concern: “Are you alright?”

Looking at his travel-worn but timely appearance, Lin Sang felt a surge of reassurance and warmth in her heart, and gently shook her head: “I’m fine, you’re back just in time.”

Cheers and applause erupted from the surrounding area, and the Lin family members finally breathed a sigh of relief, their faces beaming with smiles of relief.

After this incident, Yang Laowu was completely humiliated and dared not provoke him again. Zhou Han’s timely return and his strong protection made the Lin family’s position at the dock even more secure.

The stalls were bustling again, and the atmosphere was even more lively because of Zhou Han’s return and the earlier commotion.

Without saying a word, Zhou Han rolled up his sleeves and helped tidy up the tables and chairs that Yang Laowu had messed up. He then went to the well to fetch water and helped wash the dishes. His movements were skilled and efficient, as if he had never left.

Looking at his travel-worn but bright-eyed appearance, Wang felt both heartache and relief. She quickly pulled him aside, saying, “Han’er, stop working! You must be exhausted from the journey! We can handle these tasks. Let Sangsang accompany you to the shed to chat; it’s sheltered from the wind and warmer there!”

As she spoke, she pushed Lin Sang and Zhou Han toward the oxcart without saying another word.

Lin Sang’s cheeks flushed slightly. She glanced at Zhou Han and said softly, “Brother Zhou, this way.”

The two walked into the sturdy tarpaulin shed of the oxcart, which was indeed much warmer than outside and also isolated most of the noise.

Zhou Han took out a heavy bundle from his pocket and handed it to Lin Sang: “I saw this on the way, I brought it for you.”

Lin Sang took it, opened it, and saw that there were several oil paper packets inside. She curiously opened one packet and found that it contained chili powder with a dark red color and a unique aroma.

Another packet contained dried, spicy wild leek flower sauce; and a third packet contained plump, reddish goji berries.

“This is…” Lin Sang’s eyes lit up. She dipped her finger in the chili powder and smelled it, then looked at the wild leek flower sauce. “These seasonings look different from what we have here!”

Zhou Han nodded, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible expectation: “It’s produced in Liangzhou, and it’s much cheaper than here. I’ve tasted it, and the flavor is stronger and more fragrant. I was thinking you might find it useful for making soup.”

Lin Sang’s face lit up with a delighted smile as she carefully examined the seasonings, her mind already racing: “They’re more than just useful! This chili powder has a rich flavor, and the wild leek flower sauce is amazing at removing the gamey smell and enhancing the freshness! If we add some to our mutton offal soup, or when stewing mutton spine, the taste will definitely be unique, absolutely one of a kind in this town!”

She could almost see the soup pot becoming even more tempting with these new seasonings.

Seeing that she liked it, Zhou Han’s cold and hard eyebrows softened, and he continued, “I’ve looked, there are quite a lot of these kinds of things over there, and the prices are reasonable. If I have the chance after the New Year, I’d like to go again to take a look and figure things out. After we get married, maybe… we can rent a small shop in town and specialize in selling these kinds of general merchandise from both the north and south, or we can open a specialty food shop using these seasonings. At that time, the stall at the dock can be handed over to Uncle and Aunt, as well as Brother Bai and the others to manage.”

Hearing that he not only brought back gifts, but also planned their future so clearly and thoughtfully, Lin Sang felt a surge of warmth and emotion, and her eyes even welled up with tears.

She looked at him and asked softly, “So what are your plans for the future? You must be very tired after just getting back.”

Looking at her concerned eyes, Zhou Han felt a warmth in his heart and said, “I’m not tired. I rushed back to see you today. I haven’t settled my wages yet. I’ll go to the escort agency tomorrow to settle the wages. I’ll come over and help you set up your stall for the next few days.”

“No need!” Lin Sang quickly shook her head. “You just got back, you should rest well and spend more time with your aunt.”

Zhou Han insisted, “It’s alright. Judging from the sky, there will be heavy snow soon. When that happens, the mountain roads will be blocked, and it will be difficult for you to set up your stalls. Besides, after the heavy snow, the docks will basically stop operating, so everyone can have a good rest. It won’t make a difference if we don’t take a few more days. After we get through these busy days, it will be almost Chinese New Year, and we’ll have plenty of time to rest.”

Seeing that he had made up his mind, Lin Sang knew she couldn’t persuade him otherwise. Feeling both helpless and sweet, she could only say, “Well… alright, but you should go home and check on your aunt right now! She must be worried sick about you!”

Zhou Han nodded: “Okay, I’ll pack up and go back with you.”

“Oh, right, and this too,” Zhou Han said, taking out a long, narrow wooden box wrapped tightly in soft cloth. He opened the box, and inside lay a silver hairpin.

The hairpin’s head wasn’t adorned with elaborate patterns, but rather featured simple cloud designs, supporting a small, round pearl in the same color as the earring. It perfectly complemented the earring, creating an elegant and understated look that conveyed a sense of careful selection.

“This… is for you too. I thought it would match your previous earrings, so I bought it for you. I don’t know if you’ll like it,” he said in a flat tone, but his ears were getting hot.

Lin Sang took it, her fingertips brushing against the cool silver hairpin and the warm pearls, her eyes filled with surprise and tenderness.

She looked up at him and said softly, “I like it very much, thank you, Brother Zhou.”

Looking into Lin Sang’s bright eyes, Zhou Han felt that he was making money just to make her happy. As long as she was happy, then everything was worth it!