Chapter 117: Imprisonment

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 526: Exerting Self-Restraint

Putting her one hundred taels of private silver into another embroidered purse with flowers, Ye Muyu planned to give this one to Ziluo.

Given Chu Heng's character, the two children shouldn't suffer. Even if they did encounter difficulties, she could secretly give them some silver to ensure they lived well.

Just as she placed the money box back into the wardrobe, Ye Muyu heard footsteps and quickly stuffed the two purses under the pillow.

As expected, in the next moment, Chu Heng pushed open the door and appeared at the entrance.

"Ah Yu, I'll feed you lunch." Chu Heng's eyes were filled with tenderness, as if overflowing. He sat down beside Ye Muyu, scooped a spoonful of soup, gently blew on it to cool it just right, and then fed it to Ye Muyu.

"I can do it myself..." Ye Muyu said.

"Ah Yu, don't pretend to be strong. Be a good girl and open your mouth." Chu Heng coaxed gently.

Being coaxed like a child for the first time, Ye Muyu's ears instantly turned red. Her face, already flushed due to the fever, gradually turned even redder. "You... I..."

Ye Muyu felt her whole body heating up, especially with Chu Heng's intensely penetrating gaze fixed on her, like a fire about to ignite her entire body.

"Ah Yu, be good, open your mouth and eat." Chu Heng's voice suddenly became low and husky. Before Ye Muyu could react, he had already brought the spoon to her mouth.

Ye Muyu's cheeks blushed, but she didn't refuse the food at her lips. Was she being a bit too much by not eating the food at her lips?

Suddenly, she closed her eyes, slowly accepting the feeding from Chu Heng.

Perhaps because Ye Muyu chose to cooperate, Chu Heng's actions became even gentler. However, his gaze remained fixed on Ye Muyu's face.

With her eyes closed, Ah Yu allowed Chu Heng's gaze to be even more unrestrained, seemingly unable to tire of looking at her.

Chu Heng felt his heart soften just by watching, unable to resist asking, "Ah Yu, what kind of man do you like?"

Ye Muyu's eyelashes trembled, but she didn't speak.

Although disappointed, Chu Heng wasn't surprised. He continued to ask calmly "Ah Yu, what height do you prefer in a man?"

"I don't know..." Ye Muyu opened her eyes and looked at him, wondering what this man was up to.

As if unaware of her gaze, Chu Heng continued to feed her, asking, "Is my height enough?"

Ye Muyu: "..."

She might lack experience in relationships, but instinctively she didn't want to go along with Chu Heng's answers. Deliberately, she said, "Not enough."

A flash of pain crossed Chu Heng's eyes, completely unexpected. He seemed to have been struck hard, feeling so sad. What should he do?

"Whose height are you satisfied with then?" Chu Heng stubbornly asked, a dark light passing through his eyes unnoticed by himself. He would rather cut to pieces anyone whom Ah Yu took a liking to and they should be thrown far away, never to appear in front of Ah Yu again!

Ye Muyu didn't answer.

Chu Heng closed his eyes, suppressing the jealousy about to overflow, desperately restraining the urge to pounce on Ye Muyu.

"What about appearance?"

"Anything will do."

"Does my appearance suit you?" Chu Heng brightened up.

"...No."

Chu Heng: "..."

"Well then, what about status? Someone who reads or someone who doesn't?"

"..."

"Alright... Can he cook?"

"..."

"Can he wash your feet, do the laundry, teach you to read? Would you like that?"

"..."

Regardless of what Chu Heng said, Ye Muyu stopped responding. She quietly eat her lunch even though she only managed to finish half a bowl.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 525: Pressuring Her

Ye Muyu's heart skipped a beat, she lowered her gaze and pursed her lips in rebuttal "I'm not a child, I'm already a mother."

"In my heart, you're still a child." Chu Heng's tone was firm, speaking from the heart and his gaze remained on Ye Muyu.

He wanted to hug her but he was afraid of scaring her. Especially now, he had to pressure her to admit her true feelings.

Ye Muyu fell silent and slowly finished the bowl of ginger soup. Perhaps due to the cold, she had completely lost her appetite. She pushed away the bowl Chu Heng was holding and said softly, "I don't want to have lunch. I just want to rest for a while."

Chu Heng frowned, "No, you have to eat something. Otherwise, how will you have the energy to recover?"

"I've asked Hu Shi to make some dumpling soup that you used to like. This time, we were lucky to get some seafood, including something called seaweed, which the merchant said could be boiled like kelp and tastes similar."

"Don't worry, I won't add much oil, just two or three drops." Chu Heng guessed that Ye Muyu probably had no appetite, as is common for someone who caught a cold. He didn't find it strange and instead tried to make her feel more comfortable.

"No need..." Ye Muyu didn't finish her refusal when Chu Heng directly covered her mouth with his hand, his eyes filled with disapproval. "No, Ah Yu you have to listen to me. Otherwise, how will you face your brother tomorrow?"

Ye Muyu's throat went dry as she looked at him busying himself, unable to help but wonder, Do you really want to divorce me?

But she couldn't bring herself to ask. She, who had always been sensible, couldn't take that step in her heart. How could she make things difficult for Chu Heng?

Lowering her eyes again, she said, "I understand. I'll eat properly. Tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow, when I see my brother, I'll bring up the topic of divorce."

Chu Heng's hand holding the bowl of ginger soup trembled slightly, almost spilling it but he managed to control himself at the last moment, not saying something like he would never let her leave.

"I'll go get your lunch." Chu Heng fled in a panic, his footsteps staggering as he walked out of the room, nearly stumbling.

Ye Muyu didn't notice because she didn't dare to look at him.

Once she was sure there was only one person left in the room, she slumped against the head of the bed, tugging at the clothes in front of her, trying hard to restrain the reluctance in her heart.

She kept repeating to herself in her mind that if Chu Heng wanted a divorce, it might be because he had met someone he liked. She couldn't delay him nor did she have the right to.

He had been kind to her, and she had to repay him.

Now the only thing she could do for him was to agree to his request for a divorce, even if she felt reluctant, she had to agree.

She believed that in the future, when they were far apart, she would definitely dig him out from the bottom of her heart and return to the way things were before, living a peaceful life. So she could endure all the sudden feelings of reluctance, grievance, and sadness that came up, and she had to endure them, even without Chu Heng noticing.

It's just that for the two children...

Ye Muyu suddenly got up and took out a wooden box containing the saved silver from the wardrobe.

Inside were all the silver she had earned these days.

The over a thousand taels Chu Heng had given her as well as the deeds were all put into a small box by her separately, and this money box was put into Chu Heng's wardrobe by her.

The remaining silver, which was a hundred and ten taels from the sale of the Zhuge Suo by Xiao Jin, was put into a small purse separately by Ye Muyu. She didn't have much silver left herself, only about a hundred taels, all of which came from selling honey pomelo tea and collecting from the bookstore.

Coincidentally, the two children each had a hundred taels.

Next Chapter ▶▶

 Chapter 252: Making a Small Profit and Deciding to Act (4)

"Haha, this is so much fun!"

Little Fluffball, in a daze, vaguely understood what was going on. Like a child discovering a new toy, it rolled around joyfully, listening to the crackling sounds of bursting beans and whimpering happily.

Listening to their innocent and carefree laughter, Mo Yan felt a sense of peace in her heart. Even the negative emotions brought by the nightmares were alleviated somewhat. Unable to resist, she also took off her shoes, wrapped her feet, and stepped onto the beans.

At first, the soybean stalks were a bit prickly underfoot, and if one wasn't careful, the sharp thorns of the pods could cause some pain. But after a few steps, the soles of her feet began to warm up, and the sensation stimulated her to continue stomping.

The three siblings plus the little tiger played like this for a good half day, and almost half of the bean pods were stomped open by them. When it was time for lunch, they reluctantly put their shoes back on.

In the afternoon, more than ten villagers began to use tools to beat the soybean stalks, causing the beans to burst even more vigorously, flying everywhere.

After a round of beating, most of the bean pods had burst open, and the remaining ones that hadn't fully dried yet would need to be sun-dried again tomorrow before being beaten.

The villagers piled the soybean stalks to one side and gathered the oilcloth in the middle. The golden-yellow soybeans were mixed with broken leaves and empty pods, forming small mountains.

Once they had checked the direction of the wind, they stood on the downwind side with wooden tools resembling shovels and began to winnow. When a scoop of soybeans mixed with broken leaves and empty pods was thrown up high, the wind would blow away the broken leaves and empty pods, leaving only the plump soybeans falling onto the oilcloth.

After all the soybeans were separated and weighed roughly, they were surprised to find that about ten acres of soybean stalks had yielded a total of 2,600 catties of soybeans.

The villagers who came to help were astonished and quickly asked if the person who weighed the beans had made a mistake.

They knew that their own soybeans were thoroughly dried, and the yield per mu was only about 180 catties. Even if these soybeans contained moisture and needed further drying, the yield should still be at least 230 catties per mu. How could they be fifty catties short compared to the yield of the Mo family's soybeans?

"No mistake, no mistake! Young miss, your family's soybeans are really extraordinary!"

The villager who helped with the weighing gave Mo Yan a thumbs-up, full of envy. He couldn't help but be puzzled by the fact that the Mo family's soybeans had a higher yield per mu than theirs. Perhaps it was because the Mo family had taken good care of the land for planting vegetables before, thus improving the soil for soybeans?

Looking at the full baskets without a single bad bean, better even than those sold in the seed store, he suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and said to Mo Yan, "Young miss, your family's soybeans are excellent. When they're dried, can I buy some to use as seeds?"

The others quickly caught on and said, "That's right, young miss, we'll also buy some when they're dried. We'll pay a higher price than the seed store."

"Sure, when the soybeans are dried, you can come over if you want to buy some for planting. The price will be the same as in the seed store. If any family in the village wants to buy soybean seeds, please let me know."

Mo Yan readily agreed. Selling to the village or to the store saved her the trouble of transporting them to the city.

However, if these villagers were willing to use their own soybeans as seeds, she could try to sell all the soybeans to the seed store. Selling so many soybean seeds would earn her much more money than selling them as regular soybeans.

But she didn't know if these seeds had been improved by the Spirit Spring Water. If they didn't increase yield when planted next year, these villagers might be disappointed.

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 1024: Preparations for an Engagement

Ruan Shi smiled and said, "Yes, Miss Tian is skilled in embroidery. She can easily enter the embroidery workshops in the capital. However, her mother has been ill, and they couldn't find a doctor to cure her."

Shu Yu suddenly understood. "So Zhao Xi helped her mother with the illness?"

"Yes, Miss Tian is grateful to him. Plus, her mother's illness hasn't fully recovered yet. Knowing that we own a clothing store, she asked if we were hiring. She decided to come with us to Jiangyuan County as our embroiderer, with the only condition being that her mother could accompany her. Her mother is inside the mule cart we brought."

The grandmother felt delighted. "We owe a lot to Zhao Xi for accompanying you on this trip. He's a capable young man."

Ruan Shi had a hint of pride on her face. Yes, seeing him fooling around on a normal day, one might think he was unreliable. But who would have expected him to be so capable when serious?

Most importantly, he protected Shu You and couldn't bear to see her suffer.

Such a person would be her future son-in-law. How could Ruan Shi not feel proud?

However, when it came to Zhao Xi, the grandmother became serious. "Second son, daughter-in-law, since Zhao Xi and Ah You went on this trip together, I'm sure you understand what it means. If they both have feelings for each other, we should quickly arrange their engagement to avoid idle gossip in the future."

It would also prevent others from trying to play matchmaker.

Especially considering that the matchmakers weren't just focused on Shu Yu and her sister, but also on Zhao Xi and Meng Yunzheng.

Previously, Zhao Xi was seen as a fool, and Meng Yunzheng was considered mute. The neighbors only felt pity for them and never thought of introducing them to suitable girls.

Now, everything had changed. Both of them were doing well.

Especially considering that both of them were handsome and talented. Let's not mention Meng Yunzheng for now, but Zhao Xi was a doctor. A young doctor with exceptional medical skills. If a girl married him, what else could she worry about in the future?

Moreover, neither of them had any elders by their side, and the family they were closest to was the Lu family.

So the neighbors came to the grandmother, asking about the Meng and Zhao families and seeking her help.

The grandmother was about to vomit blood. They all stared at her son-in-law. What else was there to ask? What else?!

It made her want to hide in the Yiren Pavilion and never come back. Otherwise, the courtyard gate would never close.

Now that Shu You's feelings were confirmed, they should proceed with the engagement.

Lu Erbai nodded. "I'll talk to Zhao Xi about this another day. Although he has lost his parents, his master is still alive, so I need to ask for Master Zhao's opinion."

Just as he finished speaking, Zhao Xi and Shu You, who had just returned, heard his words.

"What are you asking Master Zhao about?" Zhao Xi asked eagerly. "Is it about Ah Ning becoming his disciple?"

"No, it's about you and my sister," Shu Yu said with a mischievous smile.

Zhao Xi was momentarily stunned, but his eyes lit up in the next moment. Unable to contain his joy, he ran forward. "Grandmother, Uncle Lu, is it about our engagement? There won't be any issues with my master. I wrote to him a long time ago, and he has already replied. Just wait a moment, I'll go home and bring the letter for you to see."

With that, he hurriedly left.

The rest of the Lu family looked at each other and then turned their gaze to Shu You.

She was dumbfounded for a moment, then blushed deeply and couldn't utter a word. She turned and quickly returned to her room.

Zhao Xi returned quickly, holding a thick letter in his hand.

He handed the letter directly to Lu Erbai, who hesitated for a moment. "Shouldn't I read the letter from your master? It might not be appropriate."

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 31: Really? I Don't Believe It!

A group of people got ready and went to Prefect  Magistrate’s residence.

On the way, Prefect  Magistrate Sun arranged for someone to properly escort the other young masters back to their respective homes.

Two of the children still had injuries on their faces, so someone had to go over and explain the situation carefully to avoid any misunderstandings from the parents.

Qingzhou Prefecture, located in the Jiangnan region, was wealthier compared to other provincial cities.

Prefect  Magistrate Sun's residence was extremely grand.

Compared to the inn where Suisui had previously stayed, Prefect Magistrate Sun's home resembled a magnificent palace.

The country bumpkin Suisui almost gasped in amazement after seeing it.

Seeing his sister curiously looking around, Feng Xuanrui felt a bit envious in his heart: "Sister, this is nothing. Wait until we return to the capital and see our Prince Qi’s Mansion—now that's grandeur!"

Prefect Magistrate Sun: ...

If my residence were more splendid than a prince’s, my body and head would probably have long parted ways!

Suisui didn't understand, but she trusted her brother, so she obediently nodded.

However, she still couldn’t resist looking around curiously.

That pavilion was so beautiful, the rock garden looked grand, and those flowers, the pond...

They hadn't walked through much of the estate, but the sights were incredibly pleasant.

Perhaps it was because the night was dim and things were not very clear. Everything, illuminated by the flickering candlelight, appeared more dreamlike, making it even more enchanting.

Sun Ronglin successfully brought his sister back home and was so happy that he nearly wanted to show off everything he owned.

However, what children usually treasure are mostly toys.

Sun Ronglin wasn’t good at studying; he was the type of academic underachiever that could drive his father to fury when discussing academics!

So, sharing books?

That was impossible!

Toys, toys, and more toys!

Wooden horses, wooden donkeys, nine rings, Luban locks...

All sorts of toys filled two large boxes.

Various wooden horses and other items required three or five servants to carry together.

Suisui had never seen such a spectacle before.

Feng Xuanrui’s base wasn’t here, so the items he could bring out from the inn were limited.

Now, with Sun Ronglin sharing everything, Suisui was completely dumbfounded.

"Sister, do you like this? It's yours!"

"And this too, I'll give it to you!"

"Sister, you can pick whatever you like!"

...

The chubby boy rarely showed such generosity, and the Qiu family brothers nearby couldn't help but gasp.

They were cousins, and even when they had asked for toys before, their cousin refused to give them any.

They could only regret that they weren't his sister!

But... the sister was kind of cute!

The Qiu brothers carefully observed Suisui, as if she were a fragile item.

They looked at her little bald head, her thin face, and her beautiful big eyes.

After a while, the elder brother Qiu Ping quietly said, "Sister is too thin, she needs to eat more."

The younger brother Qiu An agreed, "Right, only by eating well will she be strong like our cousin, able to fight!"

Qiu Ping wasn't happy to hear that: "How can sister fight? With us around, she doesn’t need to fight. We'll protect her!"

Realizing his mistake, Qiu An quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, Father said we men need to protect the women and children!"

...

At this time, Feng Xuanrui couldn’t care less about the Qiu brothers’ chatter.

Because, Sun Ronglin was just too good at this!

Toys, right?

Sister likes them, right?

Give them to her!

Sister is too thin?

Needs to be nourished?

Feed her!

...

Feng Xuanrui was so annoyed he was gritting his teeth: "Chubby boy, playing tricks, huh!"

Suisui had originally been dazzled by the toys that Sun Ronglin was sharing.

What could a little country bumpkin like her do, when she had never seen such nice things?

Sensing her brother’s mood, Suisui quickly turned her head, dashed to Feng Xuanrui's side, and gently tugged on his sleeve, swaying it: "Brother, are you unhappy?"

The young boy didn’t understand that Suisui’s previous harsh environment had made her particularly sensitive and sharp.

Being questioned by his sister, Feng Xuanrui felt both sour and happy.

He actually wanted more people to care for Suisui.

His sister had suffered too much.

But secretly, he thought: She's my sister, why should others interfere?

This internal conflict tugged at his heart, and after shaking his head, he then nodded.

Suisui was confused.

Is he happy or not?

Suisui didn't understand, but she thought, maybe her brother didn’t like her playing with other boys.

So, she decided not to play with the other boys anymore!

She only liked her brother!

Suisui was no longer interested in the toys and obediently stayed by Feng Xuanrui’s side.

Seeing Suisui like this, Feng Xuanrui felt distressed again.

He thought, he must be terrible!

Wouldn't it be good for more people to care for his sister?

Feeling like he could slap himself, Feng Xuanrui quickly adjusted his mindset and smiled: "Sister, do you want to know how to play with these toys?"

Is Brother happy again?

Suisui looked at Feng Xuanrui suspiciously, then shook her head.

She had never seen these things before, so how could she possibly understand them?

Thinking of this, Suisui lowered her head in frustration, her voice small and filled with annoyance: "Brother, do you think Suisui is stupid?"

Feng Xuanrui instinctively denied it: "How could I?"

Seeing his sister looking down in disappointment, Feng Xuanrui took her hand, sat by the table, and picked up a nine-ring puzzle to demonstrate: "Sister, look, this thing is called a nine-ring puzzle, and we need to..."

Sun Ronglin saw that his sister’s attention was completely captured by Feng Xuanrui and unhappily pouted: "I bet you can't solve it!"

Feng Xuanrui originally just wanted to demonstrate, but now, provoked by Sun Ronglin, he straightened his neck and said: "No way! I'm the best!"

Sun Ronglin, with a competitive spirit, replied, "Really? I don't believe it!"

"When I solve it, you'll be the one crying!"

"Really? I don't believe it!"

...

As they spoke, the two started arguing again.

Then, they began competing to solve the nine-ring puzzle.

The Qiu brothers acted as cheerleaders on the side, while Suisui worriedly watched Feng Xuanrui.

After the time it took for one incense stick to burn, neither of them had solved the puzzle. Feng Xuanrui was hungry, and so was Sun Ronglin.

The two boys looked at each other, exchanged some teasing remarks, and then obediently went to eat.

Physician Liu had already predicted that Feng Xuanrui would be hungry. If he didn’t eat properly at dinner, of course he’d be hungry later!

However, since he had just recovered from an illness, his diet still needed to be light. Plus, since it was nighttime, Physician Liu recommended something easy to digest.

Prefect Magistrate Sun instructed the kitchen to cook some noodles for the children.

It was easy to handle with the other children since they had fought earlier and used up a lot of energy.

But with Suisui, Physician Liu wasn’t at ease, so he specially asked her, "Suisui, are you hungry?"

Afraid that the child might be too shy to speak up, Physician Liu quickly added, "You have to be honest with Grandpa."

Sun Ronglin, listening on the side, quietly whispered to Feng Xuanrui: "This Grandpa has such a kind voice."

Feng Xuanrui glanced at him and said with a huff, "He's a physician. He's great at giving injections."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ronglin instinctively shifted his position, putting more distance between himself and Physician Liu.

At this moment, no matter how cute his sister was, Sun Ronglin wasn’t going anywhere near that physician!

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 270: Head Bleeding

"Mom, it's true that we neglected Yan Yan before and wanted to make it up to her, but everything has its limits. Shouldn't your belongings be left to your closest relatives?" Xu Aiqin didn't wait for her to answer before continuing angrily, "You know the situation at home now. We're barely making ends meet. We've asked for your help several times, but you've been indifferent. We never expected you to secretly prepare a will in advance. What did that girl do to you to make you so biased towards her?"

Xu Aiqin was so angry that she couldn't control herself. "In just two days, it will be Yao Yao and Gao Yang's engagement banquet. She hasn't even found an outfit to wear. If she attends the engagement banquet in old clothes, won't it be a laughingstock? Furthermore, in two years, when she graduates from university, she will marry into the Gao family. How can she do so without any dowry?"

Without giving Li Yue'e a chance to speak, Xu Aiqin continued accusingly, "If your belongings were split evenly among us, I wouldn't say anything. But you gave everything to Ou Yan. When we needed your help, you didn't offer it. When she didn't need your help, you still offered it. Why bother!"

Bai Muyao stood silently beside them, tears streaming down her face, seemingly heartbroken by her grandmother's favoritism.

Li Yue'e covered her chest, unable to speak due to the pain.

Seeing this, Bai Zhenhai pulled Xu Aiqin behind him and hurriedly approached, asking, "Mom, are you okay? Is it your heart acting up?"

"Don't pretend! You must give us an explanation for today's matter! It's not over!" Xu Aiqin didn't intend to let go, but she noticed that her mother's complexion had turned pale, seemingly not fake. Reluctantly, she left the ward.

Li Yue'e's heart was in so much pain that she trembled. After enduring it for a while, the intense pain finally subsided. Bai Zhenhai poured her a glass of water, but unexpectedly, when Li Yue'e took it, she poured it fiercely onto his face.

"I, Li Yue'e, don't have a son like you. Get out."

Being bullied by his wife in front of an old person was too much!

Bai Zhenhai understood his mother's anger. He wiped the water off his face with his hand and knelt down, sincerely saying, "Mom, if you resent or hate me, I can understand. But if you don't understand me, our family is in dire straits now, and you've already prepared a will at this critical juncture..."

He didn't know that the will was drafted by Li Yue'e a long time ago. Yesterday, she asked Lan to come over to modify some details, such as in the event that Ou Yan had an accident in the future and couldn't inherit the will, she would rather donate everything than leave a penny to Xu Aiqin and them!

"Mom, could you reconsider?" Bai Zhenhai pleaded while kneeling. "Even if you can give us some funds to help us through this crisis..."

Li Yue'e didn't expect this brute to still make such a request. Angry, she smashed the cup on his head.

In an instant, the cup didn't break, but Bai Zhenhai's forehead was bleeding.

"Dad?" Bai Muyao was shocked and covered her mouth. She never expected her grandmother to be so ruthless, actually smashing her father's head.

She hurried forward, using tissues to help stop the bleeding. Her face was slightly angry, "Grandma, how could you? Can't you talk things out? You're throwing things and hitting people... He's not only your son, but also my father! How could you do this?"

"Yao Yao, kneel."

Bai Muyao's hand stiffened, "Dad?"

"Kneel!"

Bai Muyao could only swallow her pride and kneel down. Fortunately, she was wearing long pants today, so kneeling didn't hurt her delicate skin too much.

"Mom, this is your own granddaughter. She's suffered so much hardship since childhood, endured so much injustice. Finally returning to this family, as her grandmother, you really don't feel sorry for her, don't want to make it up to her?"

Li Yue'e glanced at Bai Muyao, knowing she was her own granddaughter, how could she not feel sorry for her or want to make it up to her?

But this child had too many bad thoughts in her mind, those cunning eyes always scheming something, and always targeting Yan Yan. That's why she couldn't bring herself to like her.

If this child could get along peacefully with Yan Yan when she returned to this family, be more sensible, and behave, then she would have a share in the inheritance!

It was her hypocrisy, as well as Bai Zhenhai and Xu Aiqin's ambition, that made Li Yue'e determined not to leave them a penny!

"Yan Yan has been with me since childhood, taking care of me instead of you."

"I've been hospitalized for months, and she has been by my side, taking care of me day and night, buying expensive medicinal materials for me, and pulling me back from the brink of death with all her might! It's Yan Yan!"

"She pours water for me, massages me, washes me, turns me over, changes my urine bag... None of you have done any of these!"

"How many times have you come to visit me? If it weren't for the recent crisis at home, you wouldn't have come to see me at all!"

"Not only did you not visit, but you also tried to drive away all the old people in the company. If you just wanted to find an excuse to drive them away, that's fine, but the despicable means you used, I've never heard of before!"

"You call me Mom, but you don't treat me as a mother at all! I'm just an ATM in your eyes. My only value to you is money! If this inheritance were given to you, my old age would be truly miserable!"

"Don't talk to me about the inheritance anymore. I'll give it to whoever I want."

With that, Li Yue'e's face turned even colder, her voice deeper, "Get out, and don't come back!"

"Mom..."

"If you disturb me again while I'm recuperating, I'll have Yan Yan transfer me to a place where you can't find me!"

"Mom, please calm down and remember what I said." Bai Zhenhai tried to negotiate, "If my son is successful, has a large sum of money, and doesn't worry about food or clothing, then I won't have a second word! But now the problem is, the company is facing an unprecedented crisis..."

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

  ### Chapter 251: Making a Small Profit and Deciding to Act (3)

After all the fruits had been brewed into wine, Mo Yan placed Little Fluffball, who had fallen asleep on the ground, into a basin of water. After giving it a bath and drying it off, she brought it out of the space, cuddled it, and soon fell asleep in bed.

However, Mo Yan didn't sleep well that night; she started having nightmares again!

Compared to the previous nightmare, this one was even more gruesome, depicting people dying in agony after consuming moldy rice.

In the dream, those horrifying figures kept crawling on the ground, reaching out with pale, cold hands toward Mo Yan as if grabbing her could save them!

"Save my child! Please save my child!"

"Save us! We don't want to die! Please come and save us!"

Throughout the night, Mo Yan was surrounded by various desperate pleas for help. She couldn't get close to them, but she was also trapped and unable to escape.

She struggled to wake up, but her body seemed frozen, completely out of control.

Just as she was in extreme fear, a deafening roar of a tiger sounded, followed by a wet sensation on her face. Mo Yan's body suddenly felt unfrozen, and she was able to move again.

Feeling relieved, she opened her eyes and saw Little Fluffball sitting beside her pillow, staring at her with its round tiger-like eyes and licking her face, making whimpering sounds.

Was it Little Fluffball that woke her up?

Mo Yan's heart skipped a beat. She sat up, hugged Little Fluffball, and rubbed its head, feeling much calmer.

This time, she had the terrifying dream for no apparent reason, without any external stimuli. Even now that she was awake, she still felt frightened. But this matter was too mysterious; she didn't know whether to believe in the dream, immediately find a solution to the moldy grains, or ignore it and allow those moldy grains to threaten innocent lives.

Everything that happened in the dream was too real. Perhaps it was a warning from the heavens. If she didn't do something, nightmares might continue to haunt her.

Wait a little longer! If she had another nightmare for no reason, she would try her best to solve the problem of moldy grains and prevent the tragic events in the dream from happening. She didn't want to lose her peace of mind in the future.

After a whole night of nightmares, Mo Yan felt sticky. She put Little Fluffball on the bed and went into the space to take a bath. When she came out feeling refreshed, Little Fluffball was already lying beside her pillow, fast asleep.

She touched its furry head and felt drowsy herself, so she hugged Little Fluffball and planned to take a nap. This nap, with her and the little tiger sleeping together, was very peaceful.

There were a lot of soybean stalks on the thirty-acre land, and the empty space in front of Mo's house was filled with them. Today, the weather was good, so Li Zhong invited about ten villagers to help spread out the bundled soybean stalks to dry. Even though the empty space in front of Mo's house was ten acres, it wasn't enough, so they had to do it in batches.

By noon, the sun was scorching, and the soybean stalks that had been drying all morning had become tough. The bean pods burst open involuntarily, spilling the small yellow beans onto the oilcloth, making crackling sounds.

Little Fluffball was very interested; just looking wasn't enough for it. It ran into the soybean stalks, wanting to pounce on the bursting beans. However, when it stepped on the soybean stalks, the pods that were about to burst couldn't withstand the pressure and exploded one after another under its paws, startling it.

Little Fluffball let out a threatening growl, thinking it was being attacked by the bean pods. Its drowsy and confused appearance amused Mo Yan, who burst into laughter.

Xin'er and Zhen'er looked enviously at them. They quickly took off their shoes, wrapped their feet in cotton cloth, and ran to stomp on the soybean stalks. The beans burst even more joyfully, and the two of them stomped harder, making the beans burst even more vigorously.

Next Chapter▶▶

 Chapter 1023: Bringing Back an Embroiderer

Shu Yu was a bit puzzled, but Shu You had already come to her side and whispered, "Young Master Meng said that he still has some unfinished business in the capital and won't be able to return for another two days. He asked us to tell you not to worry."

Shu Yu cleared her throat lightly. "I'm not worried."

Shu You smiled and then turned to the girl who had gotten off the mule cart. She introduced her to Shu Yu. "This is Miss Tian Qin, the embroiderer we found."

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow. "Embroiderer?"

At this moment, Ruan Shi walked up. "Alright, let's not stand outside. Let's go inside and talk."

The grandmother quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, let's go inside to talk."

Everyone turned around and headed inside, but the embroiderer, Tian Qin, didn't follow. As an embroiderer, she naturally needed to be arranged in the sewing room.

There was also the mule cart behind them, which they had rented in the capital. It was filled with the goods they had acquired this time.

Zhao Xi was very considerate. "You go inside and chat. I'll deliver Miss Tian and this fabric first."

"I'll go too." Shu You followed, as she had to arrange matters regarding Tian Qin.

Zhao Xi happily led the way, holding the reins of the mule cart and walking away.

Ruan Shi entered the courtyard and took a sip of water before talking about their gains from this trip.

They had indeed visited many ready-made clothing stores in the capital, as well as fabric shops and other places frequented by young ladies. They observed the prevailing fashion in the capital and saw unique and rare fabrics.

After looking around, they searched for a suitable fabric shop to sign a contract.

Fortunately, they had Zhao Xi with them on this trip. Ruan Shi and the others lacked experience, and when they found the first fabric shop, they encountered a shrewd shopkeeper who tampered with the contract. They almost fell for it. If they had signed that contract, they would have ended up giving away several hundred taels of silver for nothing.

Now that she thought about it, Ruan Shi felt a lingering fear.

"We carefully examined the contract, but we didn't find any issues. It was Zhao Xi who spotted something, and we felt that the shopkeeper wasn't trustworthy, so we left. The shopkeeper of the second shop, on the other hand, was a reliable person. After we signed the contract, we returned to the inn and showed it to Yunzheng. He said there were no problems."

As she spoke, Ruan Shi took out the contract and showed it to Shu Yu.

Although Shu Yu was experienced in handling such matters, Meng Yunzheng was undoubtedly more skilled at examining contracts.

If he said there were no problems, then there must not be any.

However, Shu Yu was curious about something else. "That Miss Tian Qin, according to what my sister means, you recruited her as an embroiderer in the capital?"

"Yes." Ruan Shi nodded. "We originally planned to find one in the county town, but think about it. If an embroiderer from the capital has the ability, why would they be willing to follow us back to the county town? And if they don't have the ability, it wouldn't be suitable for us to hire them. But this Miss Tian Qin is truly skilled in embroidery."

Ruan Shi took out two handkerchiefs from her pocket and handed them over. As everyone looked at them, they were indeed exquisitely made.

Ruan Shi reminded them, "Turn them over and take a look."

Everyone paused for a moment, then turned them over. Oh, they were actually double-sided embroidery.

Even the grandmother was amazed. "With such excellent skills, she shouldn't have any trouble finding a fabric shop in the capital. With such remarkable embroidery, there must be many people eager to hire her."

Shu Yu nodded. No wonder she had found Tian Qin different from ordinary people. Although she appeared somewhat haggard, her demeanor didn't show any signs of unease or discomfort in a new place.

Next Chapter▶▶

  **Chapter 30: Wanting a Home**

Suisui’s fear infected Feng Xuanrui.

This made the young boy even angrier. He shouted with his hands on his hips, “Let’s see who dares to steal my sister!”

Sun Ronglin, used to being pampered and with no ill intentions but a quick temper, was stirred by Feng Xuanrui’s challenge. Mimicking Feng Xuanrui, he put his hands on his hips, puffed out his round belly, and yelled, “Go ahead and try! I also like this sister!”

Prefect  Magistrate Sun: ……!

Please stop talking!

Prefect  Magistrate Sun smiled apologetically and pulled his eldest grandson back.

Seeing his grandfather pulling him, Sun Ronglin started to struggle, waving his arms and shouting, “Grandfather, I want the sister! I want the sister!”

The twin cousins of Sun Ronglin, who were also eleven but younger by a few months, saw him struggling and joined in. “Uncle Grandfather, Uncle Grandfather, please agree! We also like this sister!”

Feng Xuanrui: ???

You guys are too much!

The scene left Suisui feeling a bit confused.

She looked around and then shrank further behind Feng Xuanrui.

The children’s squabbling ruined most of the lanterns, making it impossible to release them.

Moreover, the immediate issue wasn’t about releasing the lanterns.

It was that Feng Xuanrui was displeased, and Sun Ronglin didn’t want to leave, so the two kids started fighting again.

In the end, it was Prince Qing who couldn’t stand it anymore. He stepped forward, grabbing each child by the arm and forcibly separating them.

Even so, Feng Xuanrui and Sun Ronglin were still unwilling to give up, continuing to punch and kick the air.

“Let me go! I want the sister!”

“You’re talking nonsense! The sister is mine!”

“No way! What I like is mine!”

“You’re making things up! I found the sister first!”

……

Even though they were being held by Prince Qing, they didn’t feel scared and continued to argue.

Suisui, worried about her brother and scared of Prince Qing, who seemed very fierce, was more concerned for her brother.

Despite her fear of Prince Qing, her worry for her brother overcame it.

Suisui took small steps forward and gently tugged at Prince Qing’s sleeve, preparing to speak. However, Prince Qing turned his head at that moment.

His stern expression frightened Suisui, making her shrink back a step.

But seeing her brother still struggling, Suisui bit her lip and, with a small voice, asked, “… Brother will get hurt. Can you please let him go?”

Afterward, she anxiously glanced at Prince Qing, his cold gaze making her shrink her neck.

She thought about what Lele said, that when asking for something, one should have an attitude!

Remembering this, Suisui mustered up her courage again and, her voice as tiny as a whisper, said, “Uncle Qing, please.”

The little girl’s voice was soft and tender, with a hint of pleading.

Prince Qing, accustomed to the battlefield and having sharper senses than most, could hear Suisui’s faint voice clearly.

Seeing the little girl, who was clearly scared but still bravely holding onto his sleeve to plead for Feng Xuanrui, Prince Qing sighed silently.

She’s a good child!

Although the Chen family didn’t teach her properly, at least she hadn’t grown up poorly.

So, he could rest assured to take her back to the capital.

Prince Qing, annoyed by the noise, originally intended to deal with the children harshly to make them behave.

However, seeing Suisui’s bright, dark eyes softened his heart.

He thought, they are just children; he could teach them slowly.

Prince Qing loosened his grip and gently set the two children down.

Then, they started fighting again.

Prince Qing: ?

I gave you a chance!

Before Prince Qing could get angry, Prefect Magistrate Sun and Physician Liu, who had good judgment, quickly separated the children.

Seeing that he couldn’t take the sister home, Sun Ronglin lay on the ground and started throwing a tantrum.

The chubby boy lay down, loudly wailing, “No, grandfather, I’m not going back! Unless the sister comes with us! I want the sister, I want the sister!”

The twin brothers from the Qiu family saw this and also lay down, copying their cousin and starting a tantrum.

Prefect  Magistrate Sun: ??

He couldn’t even bear to stand there!

But after over ten years of marriage, this was their only precious grandson.

The whole family doted on Sun Ronglin, especially his wife.

If she found out about this, Prefect  Magistrate Sun would probably get scolded again!

Prefect  Magistrate Sun, with his head buzzing from his grandson’s cries, reluctantly had to approach Prince Qing and propose, “Your Highness, the children seem to have a bond. How about we extend an invitation and have you visit our humble home today?”

Since Prefect  Magistrate Sun had said this, Prince Qing had almost finished his official business and was about to return to the capital.

Given this situation, Prince Qing felt it was inappropriate to refuse.

Moreover, letting the children continue arguing was not a solution.

Although Sun Ronglin was spoiled, he wasn’t a bad child.

After reasoning with him earlier, the chubby boy had obediently apologized.

Thinking of this, Prince Qing nodded in agreement, “Alright, I’ll trouble you then.”

Prefect  Magistrate Sun repeatedly waved his hands, “Not at all, Your Highness. It’s an honor for me.”

Feng Xuanrui, who had been protecting Suisui and arguing with Sun Ronglin and the twins, suddenly realized…

Oh, can they play together now?

Feng Xuanrui, instantly on high alert, looked at Prince Qing uneasily, “Uncle Qing, when we return to the capital, can I bring my sister with me?”

Prince Qing generously nodded.

She’s a good child, and given her pitiable background.

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

Next Chapter▶▶

  Chapter 269: The Cup Smashed onto Her

"I won't trouble you with the cleaning." Ou Yan toyed with the object in her hand and casually said, "It's just a small matter, no need for your people to do it."

She had other people she could rely on.

"Alright, if you need help, just call me." Yan Bingsong smiled cheerfully, "By the way, you scored full marks in the college entrance examination this time. We old folks prepared a small gift for you, and it's already been sent to your place."

Ou Yan's focus was on the massage device in front of her, her voice flat. "Hmm, I saw it, but I haven't opened it yet."

These past few days, she had been busy preparing birthday gifts for the old lady. Every time she passed by the pile of gifts, she didn't have time to stop and open them.

"Is it another property deed?" Yan Bingsong immediately denied, "I'm not as tacky as Old Cao!"

"Then is it jewelry? Accessories?" 

"That's what Old Bai, that tacky old man, would do! I wouldn't!"

"Antiques or precious treasures? Valuable calligraphy and paintings?"

"No, that's Old Zhang's style. What I'm giving you is different from theirs!"

"Then is it a bank card?"

"Only Old Long would give something so straightforward."

"Oh, I see. It's shares."

"Smart girl, you figured it out so quickly? Is my gift lacking in creativity?" Yan Bingsong thought she wouldn't be able to guess, but she did it in less than 30 seconds.

"You keep sending the same things over and over again, so there's really no novelty." Although she said this, Ou Yan knew they had given her the best they had. "You don't have to send anything in the future."

"We want to, we want to. Giving you gifts makes us happy..." Yan Bingsong said this, glanced at the time, and sighed helplessly, "Well, I still have a meeting to attend. Let's not talk about it anymore. When are you going to grow up and take over the group for me? Grandpa also wants to enjoy some peace and quiet..."

"I'm still young. Give me another ten or twenty years."

"You heartless little thing, you don't even care about Grandpa! Alright, let's not talk anymore. Call Grandpa more often when you have time! And if there's anything, you can tell Grandpa. Don't bother asking the other old folks for help. They're all so annoying with their chattering. Just find me, whether it's something or nothing, come to me."

Ou Yan couldn't help but smile at his antics. "Okay."

The next day,

Xu Aiqin pushed open the door of Room 301 in anger. As soon as she entered, she questioned angrily, "Mom, how could you do this? Have you lost your mind? You've already prepared a will in advance at the Huaguo Will Bank, leaving everything to Ou Yan? How could you do this? Have you ever thought about our feelings?"

She didn't even bother using polite language with the old lady, and her body was shaking with anger.

Li Yue'e sat on the bed, reading the book Ou Yan had given her earlier. Upon hearing this, she raised her gaze, displeased, and asked, "That's my stuff. I can give it to whoever I want. But you, what right do you have to barge in here and question me? Did I agree to let you in? Get out! Knock on the door again!."

Bai Zhenhai stood by, desperately pulling Xu Aiqin. Although he felt aggrieved, he wasn't as unable to control his emotions as his wife.

Xu Aiqin wanted to argue with the old lady, but she was pulled away by Bai Zhenhai.

Bai Zhenhai kindly advised, "Knock on the door first. Don't be like this." 

After closing the door and knocking again, they waited for a long time without hearing the old lady agree to let them in.

Xu Aiqin couldn't swallow this grievance and pushed the door open directly, angrily asking, "Mom, didn't you hear us knocking? Are your ears not working because you're sick? We've been knocking on the door for a long time! How long do you want to keep us waiting? You have to explain this matter to Zhenhai, to me, and to Yao Yao!"

As she spoke, she pulled the Bai Muyao behind her forward. Bai Muyao's eyes were red, seemingly extremely aggrieved by the matter of the will. Her appearance seemed as if the whole world owed her something.

"What did you do to Lan?" Li Yue'e didn't answer her question but angrily asked, "Is Lan with you?"

Lan was Li Yue'e's exclusive advisor, in simple terms, the person who helped her draw up the will.

When Xu Aiqin rushed into the ward to question her, Li Yue'e guessed that something might have happened to Lan. After Bai Zhenhai pulled Xu Aiqin out of the ward, Li Yue'e hurriedly called Lan several times, but no one answered.

Worried about Lan's safety, Li Yue'e became even angrier, trembling as she pointed at Xu Aiqin and asked, "I'm asking you, what did you do to Lan?"

"Who made her not know what's good for her and refuse to speak even after suffering? Her mouth is so stubborn, no matter how much you pry, you can't open it." Xu Aiqin sneered and recalled the terrified expression of the woman when she was caught in the warehouse, as well as the painful torture after being reprimanded. Thinking about it, she felt relieved.

"So, you took her daughter to threaten her? Answer me, is that what you did?"

Lan is a single mother, and her daughter is her only soft spot.

"She just needed a little scare, she's not dead! Why are you so agitated?" Xu Aiqin couldn't understand why the old lady always cared more about outsiders than her own family. Was she really that seriously ill, her brain burned out?

"Release them!" Li Yue'e was so angry that she threw the cup on the bedside table.

Bai Zhenhai tried to stop her, but it was too late. The cup smashed onto Xu Aiqin's body, and Xu Aiqin cried out in pain, her skirt soaked.

"Mom, have you gone mad? Why did you throw it at me!"

"I threw it at you! Calling you a robber is an insult to robbers! You three have gone to great lengths for the will. You've all lost your conscience! Cough, cough, cough..."

Li Yue'e coughed repeatedly, covering her chest with one hand, seemingly in pain, as if she was so angry that her heart hurt.

Xu Aiqin felt wronged and said, "Mom, how can you say that? You only have Zhenhai as a son, don't you want to leave something to him, or at least to Yao Yao? Who is Ou Yan? She's just an outsider without any blood relation! She's the founder of QY and a piano master. She doesn't lack money. Why did you give things to her!"

"It's my stuff, I can give it to whoever I want. What's it to you?" After Li Yue'e finished coughing, she pointed at Xu Aiqin and asked, "Yesterday, didn't you cry and kneel, saying you owed Ou Yan too much and wanted to bury the hatchet, to become a family again like before? How come now she's become an outsider without any blood relation?"

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