How much is it worth? Give me a number.

  Only then did Zhen Ming finish speaking, stood up, walked to the entrance of the alley, looked around in all directions, made sure there was no one else around, before turning back and rushing into the grain warehouse, dragging Chen Lao Ban to a corner of the warehouse, stripping him of his clothes, and placing Zhang Shi's white blouse and shoes aside, creating the illusion of an illicit affair.

  Then, he shouldered the bag of several dozen kilograms of soybeans, walked out of the granary's gate, and pushed the door ajar. He went to the front street of the shop, found someone, stuffed one or two silver coins into his hand, and whispered a few words in his ear.

  The man took the silver and went away with great joy.

  Zhen Ming bitterly returned to the donkey cart, put the bag of soybeans on the cart, and Zhang Shi was still sitting motionless on the cart, without even changing her posture, constantly hiccuping, it seemed that she had really been frightened.

  Zhen Ming gave her a bitter look, but didn't say much. He led the donkey cart, crawling into the alley behind the shop, and poked out his head to gaze out at the main street.

  Before long, the sound of horseshoes and wheels rose up, a horse-drawn carriage came galloping over, stopped at the entrance of the rice store, and from the carriage got out a stout woman with a face like a yaksha, full of evil intentions, holding a fire poker in her hand, rushed into the warehouse of the rice store.

  Before long, a mournful and piteous cry for mercy came from inside...

  Hearing this expected voice, Zhen Ming finally let out a sigh of relief, pulled the donkey cart and walked in another direction in the alley.

  ……

  The donkey cart stopped in front of the Zhang family's gate.

  Zhang got off the car, opened the gate of the yard, turned around and silently moved the things in the car into the yard.

  Zhen Ming suddenly asked from behind her: "Is this the method you used to exchange soybeans with others?"

  Zhang stopped in her tracks, turned her back on him, but didn't respond.

  "I don't know how much soybeans are worth? Let him touch it, kiss it, and tell me how many soybeans it's worth. Or, how much is this person worth in soybeans? Give me a number, no matter what, I'll buy this person."

  Zhang didn't say a word, but her slightly trembling body revealed that she was not calm at the moment, especially when she heard Zhen's last sentence, which made her breathing obviously rapid, and a flush of anger rose to her face.

  She then said nothing and turned around and left.

  Zhen Ming's eyes flashed with anger, he suddenly rushed forward, grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms, before she could react to what was happening, he heavily kissed her soft red lips.

  Zhang's eyes widened, she held her breath, her expression was dull and stiff, as if she had been petrified. After a few seconds, Zhen Ming Su let out an "ah" of pain and released her, covering his mouth and backing away.

  Fresh blood flowed out from between his fingers.

  Zhang bit him hard.

  Wiping off the blood on her lips, she smiled nonchalantly: "Is this your bottom line? You can be groped by a 50-year-old old man, but you can't stand being kissed by a beggar?"

  Zhang didn't answer him, but turned around and gave him a sorrowful glance before turning back into the courtyard and closing the door.

  Before long, the sound of her sobbing came from inside.

  Zhen Ming stood still for a while, then suddenly raised his palm and slapped himself hard on the face with a loud "slap".

  ……

  Peony Pavilion

  The beautiful peony fairy sat on the edge of the piano, staring at Yang Dang who stood in front of her with his head hung low, not daring to breathe.

  "What did you come here for? Didn't I say we wouldn't meet again?"

  "Frost sister, this matter actually can't blame me, it's all that guard who led me astray, I've already fired him!" Yang Dang hurriedly defended.

  Ling Frost was shocked by what he said and suddenly stood up: "What! You fired him? Then who stole my things?"

  Yang Zong was taken aback: "Did Zhen Ge steal your things?"

  "If it wasn't him who stole it, then there's no second person." Ling Xue's face was full of indignation. "Tell him that if he doesn't return my things within three days, I'll report to the authorities! You can leave now."

  "Frost sister, don't worry, if he really stole your things, I will definitely make him return them to you!"

  Yang Cong said, his tone changing to one of entreaty, with a pleading look in his eyes: "Frost sister, for the sake of Fu Lin sister, please forgive me this once. I promise I won't fight with anyone again, and I'll definitely listen to you. If you tell me to go east, I won't dare go west; if you tell me to take a carriage, I won't dare ride a horse. As the Left Family's Spring and Autumn Annals says, 'Who has no faults? To have faults and be able to change is the greatest virtue.' I, Yang Cong, already know my mistake. Frost sister, you're well-read in the classics and should understand the principle of instructing others without growing tired. How can you not give me a chance to correct myself just because of one moment's mistake? Even if you beat me or scold me, it would be better than ignoring me by a hundred times! If Frost sister still feels angry, I'll let her punish me as she sees fit, and I won't dare utter a word of complaint. The whip is already prepared; if I cry out in pain, that wouldn't make me a good man!"

  Yang Zang said later, after a lot of irrelevant talk, he actually put on a tragic and heroic air, as if the wind was whistling and the water was cold, and the brave warrior had gone and would not return. He then took out a whip that he had prepared beforehand from behind his back, knelt down on one knee, and held it up high to present it.

  Ling Frost initially had a straight face, but later on, she couldn't hold it in anymore and melted like ice and snow: "I know you must have made up a lot of things to wait for me, this sounds like smooth talk, without any sincerity!"

  Yang Tong hastily said: "Heaven can testify, these words are all from my true heart. If there is one sentence that is not sincere, may I be blind in the future and never see Frost Sister again! May my ears be deafened, and never hear Frost Sister's moving piano sound again!"

  "Pshaw! I don't want to hear your nonsense. Since you know you're wrong, bring the whip over here!"

  Yang Tong was startled and hesitated for a moment: "Frost sister, are you really going to hit me?"

  She burst out laughing: "I knew you were using a trick, pretending to be pitiful, thinking I'm easy to fool. If I didn't punish you today, you'd definitely think I was joking with you again and wouldn't learn your lesson..."

  Yang Cong cried and handed over the whip, stretched out one palm, and quietly opened the lid of the bamboo basket behind him.

  Ling Frost took the whip, just raised it, but her expression froze. She took a deep breath with her delicate nose, and that lovely expression seemed to be caught in a fatal weakness, curiously asking: "What smell?"

  Yang Cong took the opportunity to pull back his hand, took out the bamboo basket behind him, and handed it over with a flattering smile: "Frost sister, Ah Tong knows that you have always liked delicious snacks, so in the past few days, he specially searched the entire Luoyang City, just to find this unique Portuguese egg tart, brought it to Frost sister to satisfy her cravings."

  "Portuguese egg tart?"

  ;