Chapter 512 Really Giving Up?

Silently staring at Chu Qingxiang, as if waiting for her to nod, it seemed she would wait indefinitely if she didn't nod.

Chu Qingxiang opened her mouth, full of reluctance. She also wanted help from her natal family. If she told her mother... in the future, if she faced difficulties, how could she turn to her natal family?

But Chu Liushi didn't give her a chance to hesitate, still staring at her directly.

"Grandma, I won't regret it." Chu Qingxiang gritted her teeth and said these words.

Chu Liushi didn't know whether to laugh or be sad, withdrawing her gaze from Chu Qingxiang's face and looking at Zhang, "Come with me."

Zhang was a bit nervous. It had been a long time since she had seen her mother-in-law get angry like this.

"Mother, I've made a decision, just follow what I say." Chu Qingxiang suddenly grabbed her wrist, whispering.

Zhang, who cared more for her daughter and had high expectations for Chu Qingxiang, didn't think she was wrong. Instead of marrying an ordinary man, it was better to marry Song Lu, a young scholar.

As for the Song family, with Qingxiang's intelligence, she could definitely handle it.

Zhang stood up, left the room, and went into the courtyard. She saw Chu Liushi entering the wing room, so she quickly followed.

After Zhang entered the room, Chu Liushi asked directly, "What's the deal with that slap?"

"It... it was Qingxiang deliberately letting Miss Wang from the Wang family slap her. When Song Lu arrived, he broke ties with Miss Wang." Zhang was a bit cautious, seeing her mother-in-law's unpleasant expression, she quickly explained, "Mother, Qingxiang was forced into a corner. Miss Wang was the one who snatched the engagement, it was her fault and we were forced to resist."

"Then did Miss Wang really give up?" Chu Liushi asked coldly.

Upon hearing this, Zhang raised her head confidently.

"Song Lu returned the bracelet and other items from the Wang family to the Song family, and Miss Wang also asked Song Lu if he really didn't want to marry her, offering a hundred taels as a dowry to him." Zhang sighed, that was a hundred taels, their family only had a few dozen taels saved and they had to borrow from her third brother.

"Naturally, Song Lu didn't agree. He can now make money from writing, and our Qingxiang is also very outstanding..." She lowered her voice towards the end, after all compared to Miss Wang from the Wang family, no matter how capable Qingxiang was, she was still from the back courtyard and couldn't match Miss Wang directly bringing in a substantial family property.

"And then, how did you confirm that Miss Wang gave up?" Chu Liushi continued to ask.

Zhang didn't even hesitate, "Miss Wang said it herself."

"Since Song Lu doesn't want to marry her, she won't marry either, she said she's done with this matter."

Chu Liushi was somewhat puzzled, "Is Miss Wang so easy to deal with?"

As a young lady from a landlord family, if others saw such a humiliating side of Miss Wang, what would they think?

Or did Zhang and Qingxiang overlook something?

"Miss Wang did say that herself and after saying it, she just left without bothering to talk to us." Although Zhang felt a bit humiliated by being ignored, she thought that she was just a rural woman, and she understood.

Chu Liushi was not reassured, "Don't go out anymore in the future."

Zhang opened her mouth, "Mother, what about the Song family..."

"Huh, now you're just hoping that Song Lu will keep his word, convince the people of the Song family and the engagement will proceed as usual. As for the bride price, with you all so eager to marry into the Song family, don't expect it to be too good." Chu Liushi was bitterly disappointed.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 511 Taking a Stand

Chu Yonghua's cheeks turned pale, his raised hand unsure whether to strike down or put it down.

Chu An returned home to find his parents arguing again.

He wasn't surprised at all.

He took a glance and then looked away, turning to attend to his own affairs.

---

Chu Liushi and Chu Zhiwen had just returned home.

They saw Chu Qingxiang and Zhang entering.

The two of them were talking in Chu Qingxiang's boudoir.

She walked a few steps over and knocked on the door.

The voices inside instantly quieted down, and Chu Liushi directly shouted, "It's me."

"Mother..." After a while, Zhang opened the door hesitantly.

Chu Liushi glanced inside and then suddenly pushed past Zhang, quickly walking in.

Upon entering the room, she immediately saw Chu Qingxiang sitting on the bed, covering her face, her eyes avoiding contact.

"What's going on?" Chu Liushi's face instantly darkened.

Chu Zhiwen hesitated at the door for a moment, then turned and left. As a man, it wasn't appropriate for him to enter, so he went back to the main hall to carve bamboo pieces for a backpack.

In Chu Qingxiang's boudoir, Zhang closed the door behind her and, seeing her mother-in-law's unpleasant expression, she bit her lip nervously, quickly walk over to stand by her daughter's side, subconsciously protecting her before speaking up to explain, "Mother, please don't be angry first, let me explain."

"You speak then, where did the slap on her face come from?" Chu Liushi was burning with anger, tightly pursing her lips, glaring at the two of them, waiting to hear their explanation.

Zhang said, "Mother, we went to the county today, wanting to meet Song Lu in person."

"Unexpectedly, we didn't see Song Lu, but were intercepted by Miss Wang from the Wang family."

"And then?" Chu Liushi frowned, already having a bad guess in her mind.

"Then Miss Wang asked me to take the initiative to break off the engagement with Song Lu, saying it would save face for everyone. She said she would have a matchmaker go to the Wang family tomorrow to exchange betrothal gifts, she wants to marry Song Lu, and I couldn't stop her." Chu Qingxiang's eyes were red, biting her lip tightly.

Chu Liushi had long known that Miss Wang wouldn't give up easily. The reason she gave Chu Qingxiang so much time was to let her see clearly that Song Lu would ultimately choose the Wang family, not her, a country girl!

To let her give up hope herself.

"What did you do?" Chu Liushi suppressed her anger and stared directly into her stubborn eyes.

Tears welled up in Chu Qingxiang's eyes and Zhang felt both heartache and helplessness.

"Mother, I just want to marry the man I was engaged to, is that so difficult?" Chu Qingxiang cried out.

Chu Liushi remained calm, "If everything had gone smoothly, it wouldn't have been difficult but since there's been a hiccup, you should learn to adapt."

"I don't believe you're so persistent because you like Song Lu. Let me be frank, it's for power and prestige."

Chu Qingxiang's face turned pale, she opened her mouth but couldn't say a word to refute.

Chu Liushi looked at her steadily, "Have you ever considered why Song Lu can't choose a better path for power and prestige?"

"He passed the imperial examination with the Song family's wealth, there won't be enough money to support his education in the future."

"Not only that, he has spent so many years and so much of the family's money on education, finally passing the exam. Do you think the other branches of the Song family won't demand that he support the family?"

"The Song family hasn't even divided yet." Chu Liushi said leisurely.

Chu Qingxiang tightly bit her lip, "Mother, I know you only want what's best for me but I want to strive for progress even if it's difficult."

Chu Liushi's words were all blocked.

"Fine, this is what you said, I won't interfere with you anymore. If you regret it in the future don't come to me to say you regret it, understood?" Chu Liushi remained very gentle.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 110: Recovery

Next Chapter ▶▶

  **Chapter 17: The Assault on the Posthouse**

Good brother?

Su Dongpo felt indifferent to this question. However, children are always right, aren’t they?

Soon, Su Dongpo changed his approach.

His storytelling was simple and straightforward.

If someone treats him poorly? Write a poem and scold them!

Then, get demoted, write a letter to his younger brother, and take advantage of the situation.

...

As Suisui fell asleep in a daze, she thought...

Uncle Dongpo’s younger brother must be very good and cute, and wouldn’t throw urine at her.

As for reducing internal conflicts...

Suisui didn’t quite understand it.

But the seed had been planted in her heart, and the system eagerly anticipated it growing into a towering tree in the future.

The next day, Suisui’s condition had improved a lot.

However, it rained lightly in the morning, and the air was damp everywhere. They couldn’t go out to play.

After breakfast, the two children huddled in the room, sighing as they looked at the rain outside.

“Can’t we release the lanterns in this weather?”

“It’s okay, brother.”

“If someone holds an umbrella, we can still release them, but the lanterns won’t last.”

“We can watch the rain, brother.”

...

Physician Liu was flipping through medical books nearby, occasionally glancing at the medicine on the stove and listening to the children’s conversation. He felt that living like this wasn’t too bad.

Then, in the evening, Zhan Yuan returned with injuries.

The sight of his blood-soaked clothes frightened the two children, making their faces turn pale.

The maid quickly took the two children back inside, while Di Yu swiftly got the medical kit.

Qingshan and the others quickly boiled water, and everyone worked together to treat Zhan Yuan’s injuries in no time.

Physician Liu asked in a low voice about the situation.

Zhan Yuan shook his head; since it involved anti-bandit operations, many details couldn’t be disclosed.

Seeing this, Physician Liu didn’t press further.

Zhan Yuan quickly dispatched people outside, repeatedly instructing, “Make sure to keep a close watch on the two children. That group of people seems crazy; they might do anything!”

Although the current state of the Great Xia’s empire was not entirely peaceful, it was indeed quite stable.

So, the mountain bandits in the Qingzhou area were not surviving out of necessity; they had established their territories.

These people initially consisted of a group of desperados, and then recruited many who lived off of others’ labor.

As more and more people gathered, they became a malignant tumor in the Qingzhou area.

Prince Qing was recently resting in the capital, and the emperor, troubled by this issue, decided to send him to clear them out to avoid further trouble.

Prince Qing, a battle-hardened warrior, was known for his ruthless handling of these bandits, showing no mercy.

Seeing that they were about to be eradicated, the bandits had started to go berserk!

Zhan Yuan’s instructions were clear.

He feared that the desperate bandits might attack the posthouse.

Physician Liu nodded solemnly.

After Zhan Yuan left, Physician Liu first checked around the posthouse and found no abnormalities. He then sprinkled some insect repellent to prevent the bandits from sending poisonous creatures in if they couldn’t come themselves.

Then he carefully instructed all the staff at the posthouse to manage their respective areas, complete their tasks, and keep a close watch on the two children.

After all the preparations, Physician Liu’s heart was still beating uneasily.

He had a bad premonition but wasn’t sure what else to prepare.

Feeling anxious, Physician Liu decided to stay with the two children.

He thought: if something happens, he could vent his frustrations!

The first half of the night was calm.

Physician Liu felt slightly more at ease and started to feel drowsy.

Suisui’s bedtime story for tonight...

Was skipped; no one was summoned.

Although a bit disappointed, Suisui obediently went to bed.

Thinking about the beautiful rain-drenched landscapes the system had shown her earlier, Suisui drifted into a sweet dream.

In her dream, though it was raining, the grass was lush, the flowers were vibrant, and the air was fresh and pleasant.

In her dream, she climbed a particularly large wild fruit tree and was about to pick the fruit when she was repeatedly awakened by the system calling her name.

“Suisui, Suisui…”

The outside was in chaos, but the two children were still sleeping like little pigs inside.

At this moment, if someone broke in, they could just take them away!

Physician Liu had arranged for both children to sleep in the same room for better supervision.

Suisui was sleeping on the bed, and Feng Xuanrui on the couch.

Woken by the system, and hearing the fighting outside, Suisui’s face turned pale with fear.

“Suisui, don’t be afraid, wake up your brother, and hide!”

Suisui knew the danger of the situation.

So, she quickly jumped out of bed, not caring that she was only in a thin garment, and ran to Feng Xuanrui’s side to wake him.

Feng Xuanrui woke up, still groggy.

Hearing the increasingly close sounds of fighting, Suisui’s face paled further, but she kept her voice as low as possible, “Brother, we need to run!”

Feng Xuanrui, startled...READ THE REST OF THE CHAPTER ON PATREON...

Next Chapter▶▶

  **Chapter 16: Uncle Dongpo**

Physician Liu felt both helpless and pained when he heard that Feng Xuanrui was busy making lanterns for the river. Not wanting the child to feel too guilty, he thought about it and decided to help.

By the time the river lanterns looked decent and Feng Xuanrui was satisfied with them, it was already late at night.

Suisui also woke up around this time.

As soon as Feng Xuanrui heard that his sister was awake, he picked up the lanterns and went to find her.

He thought, even though he couldn’t join the festivities today, there’s no reason they can’t go tomorrow!

He would take his sister to release the lanterns tomorrow night!

Physician Liu, fearing that Suisui might develop a high fever again, quickly followed to check.

Suisui woke up because…

She was hungry.

After taking some medicine, her fever had subsided, and her stomach felt better.

She had only drunk a little millet porridge in the evening, just a few sips, so she was still hungry.

Seeing her awake, the system let out a long sigh of relief.

Taking care of a child is so difficult!

“Suisui, we’ve already checked in for today. Someone will come to tell you a story tonight. Do you want to hear it now?”

She could hear a story again?

Suisui was actually quite eager to hear it.

Although she didn’t quite understand why so many children had to be in a pit.

But the process sounded interesting.

She was about to nod in agreement when Feng Xuanrui’s energetic voice came from outside the door: “Sister, I’m here!”

When Feng Xuanrui and the others arrived, the story had to be postponed for the time being.

Feng Xuanrui came in holding a cute, handcrafted rabbit lantern, and Suisui’s attention was immediately drawn to it.

Seeing his sister staring at the lantern he was holding, Feng Xuanrui stood up straighter.

His sister must really like this lantern he made!

Thinking this, Feng Xuanrui proudly placed the lantern in Suisui’s arms and said with a smile, “Isn’t this lantern beautiful? I made it myself. Isn’t it especially pretty?”

Suisui, eager to show her appreciation, nodded and responded loudly, “Yes, it’s the most beautiful!”

However, she had just been ill and had no strength.

Suisui thought she was speaking loudly, but it was actually more like a soft meow of a kitten.

Feng Xuanrui’s heart ached at the sight.

He sat down by the bed, gently patting Suisui’s head and her thin face. The young boy couldn’t help but worry, “Sister, you need to get better soon. We still need to release the lanterns together.”

Speaking of releasing the lanterns, Suisui’s mood became downcast as she lowered her head, “We missed it tonight.”

Seeing his sister upset, Feng Xuanrui immediately said loudly, “It’s okay, we can release the lanterns any day! When you’re better, I’ll take you!”

Hearing that they could go again, Suisui immediately lifted her head, her face full of surprise, and asked softly, “Really? Brother? Can we really go?”

After asking, Suisui felt a bit anxious, “Will it be bad if we do that?”

Physician Liu couldn’t bear to see the child being so considerate and said, “What’s wrong with that? We can do whatever we want, regardless of what others think.”

Hearing this, Feng Xuanrui nodded in agreement, “Yes, we don’t need to worry about what others think.”

The young master of the princes family spoke confidently, not feeling guilty at all.

Physician Liu’s eyelids twitched but did not deny it. Instead, he looked at Suisui with a loving gaze, full of encouragement.

Suisui was so considerate that she was often bullied.

The Chen family is full of terrible people!

They didn’t raise Suisui for nothing. When Chen San Niang went home, she brought a lot of money.

The newly renovated house of the Chen family was built after Chen San Niang returned.

Encouraged by the two, Suisui hesitated but eventually nodded, still feeling unsure.

She didn’t even know where she would be sent after she recovered.

Thinking about this, Suisui even hoped her illness would take a bit longer to recover.

A bit slower, just a bit slower.

That way, maybe she could stay here and not leave?

Suisui didn’t dare to say she woke up because she was hungry; in the end, it was her growling stomach that gave her away.

Physician Liu had already asked the maid to keep some millet porridge warm on the stove early in the morning and prepared a bit for Suisui.

He didn’t want her to eat too much, just enough to ease her hunger a bit.

Worried that the child might get used to this standard of eating, Physician Liu explained with a smile, “You’re still ill, so you should eat less for now, to make your stomach feel better. Once you’re well, we can eat more and grow stronger.”

Feng Xuanrui nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes, we’ll eat more and be active, grow up, and then we can punch a cow to death!”

Hearing this, Suisui shook her head in fear, “We can’t hit cows!”

Cows are valuable; they help with farming and are very useful!

Feng Xuanrui didn’t understand these things, but if his sister said it wasn’t okay, then it must be.

After thinking for a moment, Feng Xuanrui changed his mind and said, “Then we’ll fight fierce tigers and wolves!”

Physician Liu: …

Well, that’s quite an ambitious goal.

However, since the children were getting along well, he decided not to be the one to disillusion them.

After drinking the porridge, and seeing Suisui still feeling weak, Physician Liu suggested she rest well.

Although Feng Xuanrui was reluctant, he was tired after a restless nap and a day of making lanterns.

He placed the completed lantern by Suisui’s bedside. Since the candle inside wasn’t lit, it was safe to leave it there. Then, Feng Xuanrui reluctantly left the room, looking back several times.

Seeing her brother like this, Suisui felt very guilty. If it weren’t for the system’s reminder, she really wanted to call her brother back to listen to the story together.

Although her brother couldn’t hear it, she could still tell him the story!

After Feng Xuanrui and the others left, Suisui felt a bit drowsy.

...READ THE REST OF THE CHAPTER ON PATREON...

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 238: Gaining Another Uncle (6)

The next day, Mo Yan and her father took a carriage to Changshan Academy.

Changshan Academy was located in the east of the city, on the outskirts of the capital. Originally, this area was not prosperous, even impoverished. Since Changshan Academy was established here, the locals seized the opportunity to open restaurants, tea houses, bookstores, and small inns nearby, specifically catering to the students. Gradually, it formed a bustling commercial street.

Usually, after class, the street would be bustling with students from the academy.

At this time, classes were in session, so there weren't many people on the street. The three of them quickly found the landlord specializing in renting houses along the street.

The nearby houses were indeed in high demand, with only three left.

One was a large suite with three bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. It had good lighting and ventilation, and the interior decoration was also good.

The other two were smaller, with only one bedroom and a kitchen each. The rooms were relatively spacious, equipped with beds, tables, and bookshelves, and they were about eighty percent new. They were suitable for single occupancy.

The rent for the large house was high, at ten taels of silver per month, which was not affordable for ordinary students. The two smaller ones cost three taels of silver per month each. One of them had poor lighting and could be discounted by half a tael of silver.

Mo Yan actually wanted to rent the large house, but Mo Qingze disagreed and refused to consider it. She had no choice but to rent the smaller one with good lighting and paid a year's rent in advance.

After receiving the lease, the three of them bought a set of pots, bowls, and utensils on the street. As for bedding and such, they had plenty at home, so there was no need to buy the overpriced and mediocre quality ones on the street.

Mo Yan then rolled up her sleeves and cleaned the inside and outside of the house. Looking at the clean room, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

After everything in the house was arranged properly, it was already noon. There was no time to go home for lunch, so the three of them found a small restaurant and ordered four or five dishes to satisfy their hunger.

There were several small restaurants nearby, and Mo Yan didn't know how the food tasted at the other places. The taste at this one was just average. She was glad her father could cook; otherwise, eating out for too long would make these meals no different from the ones in the big cafeteria.

After the meal, the three of them took a carriage back home.

Mo Qingze loaded all the personal belongings, necessary books, and bedding onto the carriage and had Li Zhong send them to the rented house.

On the third day, Li Zhong brought Li Xiu and her niece to find Mo Yan and her father, insisting on going to the yamen to handle the paperwork for the indenture.

"We've been busy before, so we've been putting this off. It's time to do it now. Otherwise, the old man won't feel at ease, haha!" Li Zhong stroked his beard and laughed heartily, showing no signs of reluctance.

"Uncle Zhong, your family living here has a legitimate reason. There's no need to really sell yourselves!" Mo Qingze wanted to persuade him.

"Yes, Grandpa Li, you're already helping our family with work, whether you sell yourselves to our family or not, what's the difference?" Mo Yan also tried to persuade him.

Originally, they thought that after delaying for so long, the Li family's determination to sell themselves would weaken, but they didn't expect Grandpa Li to still be so insistent.

Li Zhong smiled and said, "This was agreed upon earlier. Our family is also willing. You father and daughter don't need to persuade us anymore. Moreover, the villagers don't know about this matter, so it won't affect our family. Let's go according to what was said before."

Li Xiu and her niece also expressed their strong desire for this, only saying that if the Mo family didn't buy them, they would have no face to stay in the Mo family.

The Li family of three were very persistent, and Mo Yan and her father couldn't persuade them no matter how hard they tried. They could only reluctantly agree in the end.

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 256 Uncle and Aunt's Greeting

"Yao Yao, Yao Yao??" At this moment, Bai Zhenhai called out a few times, and even tugged at her skirt.

Bai Muyao then withdrew her gaze and came back to her senses.

"Go and invite Gao Yang to the stage, let him say a few words to everyone."

Bai Muyao knew that her father wanted to show off a bit, letting everyone know how excellent his future son-in-law was...

Although Gao Yang didn't seem to be in a good mood tonight, Bai Muyao still gently led him onto the stage, holding his hand.

"That Gaoyang seems to be very obedient to Bai Muyao. If Bai Muyao asks him to come on stage, he will come on stage."

"It seems like the relationship between the couple is very good..."

"But it's a pity, I prefer Ou Yan."

"Me too."

Gao Yang said a few words on stage and then politely stepped down.

As Bai Muyao was about to step down while being led by him, her gaze inadvertently noticed a trendy man entering through the main entrance!

He had brown hair, wore designer clothes, sunglasses, and a mask. That figure, that dressing style, that aura, why did he resemble the popular star Li Canxi so much?

Just as she was about to take a closer look, the man had already walked towards the direction of the elevator!

She didn't expect that the legendary Chen Guang Restaurant would indeed attract so many big shots. Of course, except for Ou Yan...

Even if Ou Yan was really outstanding, Bai Muyao was unwilling to admit that she was inferior to her!

As soon as Ou Yan stepped into the private room, she noticed a graceful and beautiful woman with elegant manners.

Time had left no trace on her face; she looked like she was only in her thirties, very young.

"Baby Yan Yan, you're here?" Song Qiaoying immediately approached Ouyan.

Ou Yan nodded, "Sorry for keeping everyone waiting."

"No waiting at all, we just arrived." The gentle smile on the woman's face made her even more approachable.

Song Qiaoying took Ouyan's hand and approached the woman, introducing, "I was just telling your aunt about your glorious achievements! Come, let me introduce you. This is your aunt, Yingshu. This is the Ou Yan I told you about, our biological daughter!"

Li Yingshu gently spoke, "So you're Ou Yan? You're really beautiful! Sister-in-law, Yan Yan has some resemblance to you, but speaking from the bottom of my heart, Yan Yan is even more beautiful than you! Your beauty, it seems, will be carried on by the next generation!"

Li Yingshu said this and looked at Li Yuanfu again, "You and your wife really know how to produce offspring!"

Song Qiaoying laughed even more happily, "You're flattering us too much!"

Li Yingshu continued, "I'm speaking the truth."

At this moment, a middle-aged man walked out of the restroom. He was well-dressed and had an extraordinary aura. He seemed surprised when he saw Ou Yan, as if he didn't expect her to arrive so soon.

"Yan Yan, let me introduce you. This is your uncle," Song Qiaoying introduced as she approached, "Xingbang, this is Ou Yan."

Li Xingbang immediately smiled and asked kindly, "You're my niece? You really resemble your aunt!"

"I've been saying that Yan Yan is even more beautiful than her mom. Look at her eyebrows, her eyes, her features...," Li Yingshu praised Ou Yan once again.

"Uncle, hello," Ou Yan politely greeted.

"Hey hey hey, hello! You've finally returned to this family. You've suffered outside all these years! Rest assured, your uncle and aunt will also be your strong backing in the future. If you have any problems, you can come to your uncle and aunt for help! From now on, we are one family! Uncle and aunt will treat you even better!" Li Xingbang said warmly.

"Thank you, uncle," Ou Yan said, feeling a little helpless. 

"Your uncle and aunt prepared this card as a welcome gift for you. It's just a little token of our affection. If you don't accept it, your uncle and aunt won't be able to sleep tonight!" Li Yingshu said.

Ou Yan:...

Another card?

Why did everyone in this family keep giving cards??

"You're prepared gifts and even cards..." Song Qiaoying could feel everyone's attention, which made her mood even more pleasant and touched.

"This card is a welcome gift for you to return to this family, a little token of appreciation for your perfect score. It's different, you should accept both," Li Xingbang said, handing over the card.

But as Ou Yan took a step back, politely saying, "Thank you, Uncle, but I'll just take your sentiment, no need for the card."

"Look at this child, still so polite to her own uncle and aunt!" Li Yingshu said with a smile, then looked at Ou Yan again, "What's the matter with Qian Qian? Why hasn't she arrived yet?"

As she said this, she glanced at Ou Yan as if explaining to her, "She met a good friend here just now and went to say hello. It's been twenty minutes, and she still hasn't come back. I'll give her a call."

The next second, a pleasant ringtone sounded from the entrance, and the door handle moved as someone pushed the door open.

▶▶After breaking off the engagement, Mr. Si chased his wife to the crematorium!

 Chapter 1010: The First Branch Family Arrives

One after another, several people came into the shop. The one who had rushed in and called out to the old lady was Er Niu.

It's unclear whether it was because he had grown a year older or because Da Niu was no longer working in the village, but Er Niu now spent most of his time helping Lu Dasong in the fields.

Especially during this busy farming season of the past half month, Er Niu had gotten visibly tanned.

Even the old lady exclaimed when she saw him, "Er Niu, you've got cow..." and then quickly shut her mouth. This was a shop, and there were customers around. She couldn't speak so rudely.

Er Niu smirked, and following him was Lan Hua.

Lan Hua called out "Grandma" and excitedly stood in front of the counter, looking at Shu Yu and softly calling out, "sister Ah Yu."

Shu Yu: "..." What does this shy expression mean?

The last to arrive were Lu Dasong and Li Shi. When they saw Shu Yu and the old lady behind the counter, Li Shi paused for a moment and then smiled, "Ah Yu, you've come in person to watch over the shop. You're really working hard."

After speaking, she peered inside, didn't see Zhou Qiao, and frowned. "This daughter-in-law really has no vision. Ah Yu is here, but she won't come out and show herself. Instead, she's hiding in the backyard, being lazy, isn't she?"

Little did she know, the old lady's thoughts were exactly the same. "This daughter-in-law really has no vision. With such a big person standing here, she can't even call her 'mother' anymore?"

It was inconvenient to scold her here, but if they were at home and the door was closed, she would have given her a piece of her mind.

Not wanting to bother with her, the old lady turned her head and asked Lu Dasong, who was still standing at the door, "Why did you all come at this time?"

"Mother, we're going to start construction tomorrow, so we came today to buy some things."

They had agreed on it earlier. They had already chosen a date to repair the ancestral grave, and the middle of the month was the most suitable time. At this moment, some families with less work in the fields had also finished most of their work and had some free time to help.

But they were lacking some materials, so Lu Dasong came to the county town to buy them.

The old lady nodded. "You should take care of the matters at home. Now your second and third siblings are busy in the county town, and you're burdened."

Lu Dasong chuckled. "Mother, as the eldest son of the Lu family, it's my responsibility to handle these matters." Besides, Ah Yu is the one funding it, so he felt a little embarrassed.

The old lady waved her hand and then turned to look at Li Shi. Immediately, her tone turned unfriendly. "Why did you come with the eldest son to buy things?"

Li Shi hurriedly explained, "I have something important to do, Mother. These are the medicines I caught yesterday. I'm giving them to Da Niu's wife to help her regulate her body."

Shu Yu looked at the five packets of medicine that Li Shi had placed on the counter and felt that the herbs had a somewhat unpleasant smell.

"Eldest Aunt, Eldest sister-in-law is in good health. What does she need to regulate?"

As soon as she asked, she had a thought in her mind. It couldn't be what she was thinking, right?

Li Shi's attitude towards her was very friendly now, and when she saw Shu Yu speaking to her, she immediately smiled and leaned closer. "Ah Yu, you haven't gotten married yet, so I shouldn't be telling you this. But you're about to come of age, so it's only right that you learn a bit. This medicine is for Da Niu's wife to drink to conceive a child sooner."

After saying that, she caught a glimpse of the old lady's expression and immediately suppressed her desire to lecture and instead asked, "Where is Da Niu's wife?"

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  ### Chapter 15: Fever Due to Food Accumulation

As soon as they heard that Suisui had a fever, everyone forgot about the children’s matters. Physician Liu reacted quickly, rushing to the back courtyard while asking Di Jiao, "How could she suddenly get a fever?"

If it was from getting cold last night, the fever should have started yesterday. Could it be due to a physical difference? Physician Liu ran and thought, while Feng Xuanrui and the others followed. Seeing his little nephew lagging behind, Prince Qing, anxious and sweating, picked him up and ran.

When Di Jiao was asked by his master, though breathless, he didn’t panic: “I checked the pulse, and it seems to be food accumulation.”

Physician Liu’s immediate reaction was, “Impossible!”

Since returning last night, all of Suisui’s food had been checked by him before being served.

He remembered everything Suisui ate.

It couldn’t be food accumulation!

When it was suggested that Suisui might have a fever due to food accumulation, Feng Xuanrui, feeling guilty, shrank under Prince Qing's arm.

This movement caught Prince Qing's attention.

He looked at Feng Xuanrui with suspicion and frowned, asking, “What’s going on?”

By now, they had reached the back courtyard. Another apprentice, Di Yu, seeing the master arrive, quickly stepped forward and said, “Master, I checked the pulse, and it should be food accumulation.”

Physician Liu, hearing this, began to doubt himself: “This is impossible!”

He had been monitoring Suisui’s food intake closely.

Skeptical, Physician Liu took two steps forward and carefully checked her pulse.

Unable to believe the results, he checked again.

He muttered, “Could it really be the amount of food?”

While he was puzzled, Prince Qing threw his little nephew toward Physician Liu, “Ask him.”

Feng Xuanrui, now in front of Physician Liu, looked guilty and dared not look up.

Seeing his reaction, Physician Liu understood immediately: “Did you secretly give Suisui pastries?”

Feng Xuanrui, shrinking his head, dared not speak and only nodded honestly.

Physician Liu was furious!

If the other person wasn’t a prince’s son, Physician Liu thought he might have directly punished him!

Physician Liu, gritting his teeth, carefully diagnosed Suisui, wrote a prescription, and arranged for Di Jiao to prepare medicine. He also administered two needles to Suisui.

Feng Xuanrui, feeling guilty and unable to speak, sat quietly at the end of the bed, watching Suisui’s flushed face.

Seeing this, Prince Qing frowned and asked, “What did you do?”

Feng Xuanrui glanced at Physician Liu and, seeing that he wasn’t looking, whispered, “It was around noon. Qingshan brought back some pastries. Seeing Suisui wanted to eat, I secretly gave her two pieces and half a cup of milk.”

Physician Liu exploded with anger: “You gave her two pieces and milk?”

“The pastries were made from glutinous rice, which is hard to digest. You shouldn’t have let Suisui eat that!”

Feng Xuanrui hadn’t expected such consequences. Scared, he shrank behind Prince Qing and said, “I just wanted to give the best things to my sister.”

Prince Qing, feeling a headache, realized the intention was good, but the result was bad.

It’s hard to entirely blame the child since he didn’t understand these things.

Once a dominant young master in the palace, now he shows concern for others.

Perhaps this is a kind of growth?

Feng Xuanrui’s words were unarguable. Physician Liu huffed in anger and urged Di Jiao to hurry.

Prince Qing, not wanting Feng Xuanrui to be too upset, gently patted his head, “Suisui’s body isn’t strong. She can’t eat too much at once. If you want to share something with her in the future, you should ask Physician Liu first.”

Feng Xuanrui realized his mistake. When Prince Qing spoke, he quickly nodded obediently, “I understand, Uncle Wang.”

Suisui’s sudden fever meant the evening’s river lantern festival was likely canceled.

But Feng Xuanrui thought, even if the festival was missed, his sister should still have the lanterns!

Making lanterns shouldn’t be too hard, right?

He was determined to do it!

As Suisui woke up from her fever, she began to vomit.

While Physician Liu and the two apprentice were busy, Feng Xuanrui quietly entered the lantern-making room, recalling the techniques Physician Liu taught them that morning, and began to finish making the lanterns.

The fever from food accumulation wasn’t too severe, but Suisui’s stomach hurt badly.

The medicine she took was immediately vomited, along with undigested pastries, milk, and lunch porridge.

Even though she vomited, her stomach still ached severely.

Suisui, usually able to endure, couldn’t this time and quietly sobbed.

If she cried loudly, it might have been more bearable for the adults.

But Suisui, like a small kitten, curled up at the head of the bed, holding her stomach and crying silently.

Her tears flowed continuously, and her occasional body tremors nearly brought tears to Physician Liu’s eyes.

Prince Qing, watching from the side, also felt uncomfortable.

Seeing Suisui like this reminded him of his own unfortunate daughter.

He wanted to take Suisui back to the palace to comfort her but feared his daughter might be upset upon hearing this.

Unable to endure the scene, Prince Qing turned and left, glancing at Suisui, then at the prince, and finally at Yu Leng.

In desperation, Zhan Yuan asked Yu Leng for advice, “Master Han Shuang, what should we do about this matter?”

Yu Leng nodded slightly, “Chen Dalang and his wife are feeling guilty and don’t dare to be too public. But considering their nature, they probably won’t hold back for long. Since they are relatives of the Jin Yang Hou residence, they should contribute more to the court during their service, don’t you think?”

Seeing Zhan Yuan deep in thought, Yu Leng continued, “Also, the most direct way to vent anger is not to beat them, right?”

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