I Only Choked on Noodles, Why Am I Here?! [BL]

Chapter 48: Chapter 48 – Rumors Spread Through the Village

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By the time the carriage finally stopped outside Han Yan’s courtyard, quite a few curious villagers had already gathered nearby.

The moment the wheels came to a halt, the courtyard gate suddenly creaked open from the inside.

The little boy had clearly been waiting for Han Yan’s return.

"Big Brother Han!"

His excited voice immediately rang out.

The two servants climbed down from the carriage and began unloading the goods.

One sack after another was carried through the gate.

Rice.

Flour.

Oil.

Cloth.

Seasonings.

Wooden boxes.

Baskets.

The stream of goods seemed endless.

The villagers’ eyes widened as they watched the servants move back and forth between the carriage and the courtyard.

The pile of supplies inside steadily grew larger.

Soon, the sight attracted the attention of nearly everyone nearby.

"How much did he buy?"

"That’s enough food to last for months!"

"Months?" a villager scoffed. "Do you know how much grain is piled up there? That amount could easily feed a family for two or three years."

"You’re right. I’ve never seen anyone buy so much food at once."

"Just how much silver did he spend?"

The surrounding whispers grew louder and louder.

Some villagers stretched their necks to get a better look, while others stared at the mountain of supplies with undisguised shock.

Ignoring the ongoing discussion around him, Wei Jun climbed down from the carriage.

Although Wei Jun had already seen the carriage and the mountain of goods in town, watching the servants unload everything into the courtyard was an entirely different matter.

It still left him speechless.

Even now, he could hardly believe his eyes.

At that moment, Lin Xin stepped out from the courtyard.

It seemed he had been waiting for Han Yan’s return.

The moment he spotted Han Yan, his eyes brightened noticeably and the faint worry lingering between his brows quietly disappeared.

Han Yan unconsciously released a small breath.

He had been worried that something might have happened while he was away.

Whether it was Madam Wei causing trouble again or some other unexpected incident, there had always been that lingering concern in the back of his mind.

Fortunately, both Lin Xin and Dong Hai appeared safe and unharmed.

Only then did the last trace of tension leave his body.

Han Yan opened his mouth intending to greet Lin Xin but before he could speak, Lin Xin’s gaze was attracted by the steady stream of servants entering through the gate.

They carried sack after sack of supplies into the courtyard, causing the pile to grow larger with each passing moment.

The sight immediately diverted his attention.

For a moment, even Lin Xin forgot what he had wanted to say.

One sack.

Then another.

His footsteps gradually slowed.

The servants continued carrying goods into the courtyard without pause.

Lin Xin blinked, confusion written all over his face.

Then he blinked again.

His beautiful green eyes had already widened into perfect circles.

The usually gentle and calm expression on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by visible shock.

Even Dong Hai stood frozen near the gate. His gaze darted from the servants to the growing pile of supplies in the courtyard.

"So many things!"

His eyes brightened noticeably, though he tried his best to maintain a serious expression.

The excitement on his face was so obvious that it was impossible not to smile.

Han Yan merely shook his head and laughed.

The last sack was finally carried into the courtyard.

The servants wiped the sweat from their brows and straightened their backs.

After unloading such a large quantity of goods, even they looked somewhat tired.

Han Yan stepped forward.

"Thank you for your hard work."

The servants quickly waved their hands.

"It was nothing, Young Master."

"We were only following our employer’s instructions."

"Since everything has been delivered safely, we’ll be taking our leave."

Han Yan nodded.

"You have my thanks."

The servants climbed back onto the carriage.

Soon, the horses neighed softly and the carriage rolled away from the courtyard, disappearing down the village road.

For a brief moment, the area fell strangely quiet.

Then everyone’s attention returned to the mountain of supplies occupying nearly half the courtyard.

Wei Jun stared at Han Yan.

"Brother Han..."

Han Yan looked over.

Wei Jun hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Did you... happen to find a hidden treasure?"

Han Yan nearly choked when he heard that.

The surrounding villagers immediately became alert, afraid of missing a single word.

He shot him a speechless look.

Wei Jun scratched the back of his head.

"Then how else am I supposed to explain all this?"

His gaze swept across the countless sacks and jars.

"There are enough supplies here to survive a famine."

Several villagers subconsciously nodded in agreement.

"That’s right!"

"I’ve never seen anyone buy so much at once."

"Even wealthy families don’t buy this much at once... do they?"

Han Yan could only sigh helplessly.

Meanwhile, Wei Jun finally remembered something.

"Oh right."

He stepped forward and began pulling several items from the pile.

A bundle of supplies.

A sack of grain.

Several other items he had purchased in town.

Only after gathering everything did he seem satisfied.

These were the things Han Yan had temporarily stored together with the larger shipment during the trip back.

Wei Jun adjusted the load on his shoulder.

"Well, I’d better head home before De’er starts wondering whether I got lost."

Han Yan nodded.

"Get home safely."

Wei Jun grinned happily.

Then he turned toward Lin Xin.

"Sister-in-law, I’ll be leaving first."

The moment those words left his mouth, Lin Xin’s ears instantly turned red, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words.

Before Lin Xin could react, Wei Jun had already shifted his attention toward Dong Hai.

"And you, little fellow, you can come over and play with Wei Fan sometime."

Dong Hai nodded seriously.

Ever since Wei Jun had mentioned it yesterday, he had wanted to go and play with Wei Fan.

However, Han Yan had gone to town today, leaving only him and Lin Xin at home.

Worried about leaving Lin Xin alone, Dong Hai had obediently stayed behind.

Now that Wei Jun brought it up again, a trace of anticipation flashed across his eyes.

Still, he lifted his chin and maintained a solemn expression, trying his best to look like a responsible little adult.

After Wei Jun said his goodbyes, he finally departed.

The villagers who had gathered outside gradually began to disperse as well.

After all, the excitement was over.

However, many of them left with expressions full of disappointment.

They had been eagerly waiting for Han Yan’s explanation.

Who would have thought that Wei Jun would only ask a single question before giving up?

The moment Wei Jun asked the question, the villagers had all unconsciously held their breath and pricked up their ears.

Then...

Nothing happened.

Not only did Han Yan not explain himself, but Wei Jun did not even continue asking.

The villagers nearly stumbled on the spot.

That was it?

Just one question?

No probing for details?

What kind of questioning was that?

Several villagers looked at Wei Jun’s departing figure with indescribable resentment.

They felt as though someone had served a steaming hot dish in front of them, only to snatch it away before they could take a single bite.

Their hearts itched with curiosity.

Unfortunately, no matter how unwilling they were, they could only leave.

The moment they walked away, discussions immediately erupted everywhere.

Since nobody had received an answer, they could only make up their own.

"Did you see that?"

"I saw it."

"No, I mean really see it."

"I saw enough!"

"Han Yan must have struck gold somewhere!"

"Gold? I think he found an ancient treasure buried in the mountains!"

"Nonsense. If he found treasure, why would he buy rice?"

"Then maybe he discovered a hidden cave filled with silver."

"Or perhaps some immortal took a liking to him and rewarded him."

"That actually sounds possible."

"You’re right."

The villagers discussed enthusiastically as they walked.

The rumors grew more outrageous with every passing moment.

One elderly man stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"What interested me most wasn’t the grain."

Several people immediately looked over.

"What was it then?"

"The bow."

Everyone paused.

"The bow?"

The old man nodded solemnly.

"I caught a glimpse of it."

Several villagers leaned closer.

"How much do you think it cost?"

The old man narrowed his eyes.

Then raised two fingers.

"At least two taels of silver."

The surrounding villagers gasped.

"Two taels?!"

"That’s impossible!"

The old man snorted.

"You didn’t see it."

"That bow was wrapped carefully."

"Only valuable items are wrapped that carefully."

The more he spoke, the more convinced he became.

Soon everyone else was convinced as well.

"What kind of bow costs two tael?"

"Maybe three taels."

"THREE?!"

"Perhaps even four."

The villagers sucked in cold breaths.

With every passing sentence, the bow became more expensive, despite none of them actually knowing how much it cost.

Meanwhile, another group had shifted the topic elsewhere.

"The Han family really made a mistake."

"That’s putting it lightly."

"They threw Han Yan out."

"And now look."

One woman clicked her tongue.

"They chased away a goose that lays golden eggs."

Another villager immediately corrected her.

"Golden eggs?"

"You’re underestimating him."

"With all that money, he’s laying golden bricks."

The surrounding villagers burst into laughter.

"That’s right!"

"If Madam Wei hears about today’s events, she’ll probably regret it so much she won’t be able to sleep."

"I’d regret it too."

"Imagine throwing away someone capable of buying half the marketplace."

The laughter continued all the way through the village.

By sunset, countless versions of the story would undoubtedly spread throughout Hangul Village.

Some would claim Han Yan had found treasure.

Others would swear he had encountered immortals.

A few might even insist he had secretly become a wealthy merchant.

As for the truth?

Nobody knew.

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Back inside the courtyard, none of this had anything to do with them.

"Dong Hai."

Lin Xin finally recovered from his shock enough to speak.

The little boy immediately turned his head, a hint of confusion appearing on his face as he wondered why Lin Xin had called out to him.

"Can you close the gate?"

"Oh!"

Dong Hai hurried over and pulled the wooden courtyard gate closed, shutting out the noise from outside.

Silence returned to the courtyard.

Only the mountain of supplies remained.

Lin Xin looked at the pile.

Then at Han Yan.

A complicated expression was still visible on his face.

Even now, he felt as though he were dreaming.

After a long moment, he finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.

"Yan’ge..."

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