The backdrop can also be propped up.

Chapter 348. Escaping the Huang Mansion 14

348. Escaping the Huang Mansion 14

After finishing his meal, Lu Renkui went to return the trays to the kitchen. Sure enough, he overheard people discussing the cause of Master Huang's death.

"Master Huang is dead," said an old woman washing dishes. "It's so strange. He was alone in his room, how could he suddenly die?"

“I heard he died from drinking poison,” said the young woman washing the dishes.

"That's even stranger. Why would the master suddenly want to drink poison?" The old woman washing dishes seemed even more puzzled. "Today is supposed to be a joyous occasion."

“It certainly wasn’t him who wanted to drink it,” the young woman washing the pots said, scrubbing them with her brush. “Someone must have poisoned his cup.”

"Oh dear, that's strange. With so many people in the household, who would have had the opportunity to poison the master's cup?" The old woman washing dishes stopped what she was doing and looked up to think.

Lu Renkui was also curious whether the old woman washing dishes could guess the real murderer, so he stood in a corner where no one noticed him, holding a plate, and listened to the conversation between the young woman and the old woman.

The old woman was halfway through her thought when suddenly a woman's voice came from outside the kitchen, startling Lu Renkui. The bowls on her plate clattered together, making a soft, crisp sound.

"A bunch of lazy women! They don't work properly, but they're quite enthusiastic about discussing their master!" Wuchou stood at the kitchen door and started cursing. "If they dare to make up stories again, each of them will get 20 lashes."

Startled by Wuchou's outburst, Lu Renkui didn't intend to stay in the kitchen any longer. He put down his plate and hurriedly returned to Huang Muyan's courtyard.

After returning to the courtyard, Lu Renkui found that Huang Muyan was still awake, but she seemed to have finished washing up. She put on a coat and sat down at the desk, probably waiting for her to come back.

After greeting Huang Muyan, Lu Renkui hurriedly washed up and went into Huang Muyan's room. He originally wanted to lie down on his small cot, but unexpectedly, Huang Muyan pulled him to Huang Muyan's bed.

“I’m a little scared to sleep at night,” Huang Muyan said. “Why don’t you sleep with me?”

Before Lu Renkui could refuse, Huang Muyan pushed him onto the bed.

The moment Lu Renkui lay down on the bed, she gave up struggling—this bed was so comfortable, much better than sleeping on the floor.

Huang Muyan blew out the lamp and lay down on the bed. In the darkness, the only sound was the breathing of the two of them.

Lu Renkui suddenly felt that she should hold something—like a doll—because she felt a bit awkward lying in the same bed with Huang Muyan, and she needed to hold something to ease her awkwardness.

"Xiao Wan, do you want to leave here?" Huang Muyan suddenly asked when Lu Renkui was feeling extremely awkward. She probably felt too embarrassed herself.

"Leave here? Where can I go if I leave here?" Lu Renkui knew that Huang Muyan was about to reveal her escape plan, so Huang Muyan wanted to see "Xiao Wan's" opinion.

"Then I might as well take this opportunity to say what Mu Wanqing is worried about," Lu Renkui thought, and continued, "I don't know anything, and no one would need me for work; besides, my family is all here, and my brother works at the mill. If I leave, and the master and mistress are angry, what will happen to my brother and his family if I run away?"

Upon hearing what "Xiao Wan" said, Huang Muyan fell silent, leaving only the sound of her soft breathing in the air.

Seeing that Huang Muyan hadn't spoken for a while, Lu Renkui assumed she had fallen asleep, so he closed his eyes and tried his best to fall asleep as well.

Huang Muyan wasn't actually asleep; she was just thinking about what "Xiao Wan" had said. If she ran away with "Xiao Wan," how could "Xiao Wan's" family avoid being targeted?

Huang Muyan thought that her mother probably wouldn't care who Xiao Wan's parents were, but Xiao Wan's brother worked at the mansion. If she ran away with Xiao Wan without saying a word, would her mother take her anger out on Xiao Wan's brother?

I must tell my mother when I leave, but she will absolutely not agree to my leaving. Huang Muyan recalled that her mother's words these days had mostly been urging her to get married, and with Mr. Huang having just died, her mother would definitely use the excuse of filial piety to make her stay.

Xiao Wan was worried that her brother would be targeted. So, if I take her brother with me, will it be alright? Huang Muyan thought to herself, but do we have enough money right now? And if I want to take Xiao Wan's brother with me, I need to discuss with him in advance where we'll meet, otherwise we might not even run into each other if we're too far apart.

Huang Muyan drifted off to sleep, thinking to herself, "I've already told Xiaowan I'll bring her brother along tomorrow."

After sleeping for a while, Lu Renkui entered Mu Wanqing's consciousness space in a half-dreaming, half-awake state.

Looking at Mu Wanqing lying on the ground, Lu Renkui turned to ask the system WQBYRZM, whom she had almost not recognized, "Is she still unconscious from being frightened?"

"Isn't it obvious?" System WQBYRZM shrugged helplessly. "Who would have thought she was so timid? I thought she was like Ayaka."