After Liu Yue came, several other villagers came to inquire about the situation.

Some people thought that Lu Lin and Chen Xiaomi might have heard the rumors in the village about Chen Xiaocai and Shen Chi, and felt that it was not good for Shen Chi, a little girl, to stay in the shop all the time. So, they sent Granny Chen and Shen Chi back to gloat.

Many came to comfort Granny Shen, while others had their eyes on Granny Shen's former spot and came to gather information.

Not only Zhang Xiuhe wanted to work for Granny Chen, but many others did too.

"Grandma, Chen Xiaomi is such a scoundrel. You've worked here for so long, and look at him, he just sent you back so easily. He's so heartless."

No wonder Old Mrs. Chen said he was born rebellious. You two have been friends for a long time, yet you show no mercy at all... Listening to the woman in front of her chattering on and on, Granny Chen said helplessly, "I wasn't sent back. I just came back to deal with some things."

"What's there to deal with right now?" Zheng was convinced that Granny Shen had been sent back, but she was too embarrassed to say it.

"This embroidered lotus, this embroidered lotus, although the person in it isn't very good?"

“But her skills are still quite good. However, to be honest, there are many skilled people in the village. If it weren’t for having a village head as her brother, she wouldn’t have had the chance!” said Zheng.

Grandma Shen: "..." The matter is barely even settled, yet it's already causing quite a stir in the village. Lu Lin had absolutely no intention of using Zhang Xiuhe!

Grandma Shen thought that Zhang Xiuhe might have deliberately spread the rumor. If the rumor spread too much, the villagers might think that Lu Lin had already agreed to use Zhang Xiuhe. In that case, if Lu Lin did not use Zhang Xiuhe, the villagers might think that Lu Lin had gone back on his word.

"Business is so-so at the shop, we don't plan to hire anyone for the time being," said Granny Shen.

On a hot summer day, several children were enjoying the shade under a tree with pale white flowers.

"Ya Ya, Chen Chi has returned to his hometown," Zhang Dabao said to Zhang Ya.

Zhang Ya nodded, somewhat proudly saying, "Yes, I heard they were sent back."

Previously, Lu Lin rejected Zhang Ya's mother, Ma, who proposed marriage, which made Ma very angry.

Later, rumors about Chen Xiaocai and Shen Chi spread throughout the village. It wasn't Ma who first spread the rumors, but Ma did help to stir things up.

Zhang Ya thought to herself: The Shen family has an old woman with failing eyesight and a little girl, who are obviously unable to work. It's normal for them to be sent back; it would be abnormal if they weren't.

“My mother and aunt sold embroidery to Lu Lin and earned quite a few copper coins. I heard that Granny Chen earned even more.”

Zhang Ya pursed her lips, thinking to herself: What's the use of earning so much money if I still get kicked out? But Granny Shen must have earned quite a bit of money before.

"Are Chen Xiaocai and Shen Chi really related?"

"Of course they're related! They used to play together!"

"We were just playing together."

When it comes to engagement, a matchmaker is indispensable, and Chen Xiaomi found a well-known matchmaker named Wang in the neighborhood.

Matchmaker Wang has arranged dozens of marriages and is quite well-regarded in the surrounding area.

Matchmaker Wang was quite surprised by Chen Xiaomi's visit, exclaiming, "Let's arrange a marriage between Chen Xiaocai and Shen Chi!"

Chen Xiaomi nodded and said, "Not bad."

The matchmaker, Wang, asked with some confusion, "Chen Chi is a twin!"

Unless their families were truly struggling financially, they generally wouldn't seek out Shuang'er. As far as she knew, the Chen brothers had recently made a lot of money. Not to mention the wages they earned working in town, they had also made a considerable amount from selling those gloves.

She also heard that Lu Lin had bought a bear without even blinking an eye.

Chen Xiaomi glanced coldly at Wang the matchmaker and said coldly, "What's wrong with Shuang'er?"

Matchmaker Wang smiled awkwardly and said, "Shuang'er is quite good."

Wang the matchmaker suddenly remembered that Chen Xiaomi was a twin, and she also had a twin brother who was mentally challenged. This silly little twin would definitely not have a good life in other people's homes. However, Chen Xiaomi liked her little brother very much and spoiled him rotten.

Chen Xiaomi nodded, and said with some pride, "Of course, girls are delicate and fragile. Shuang'er is better; she can withstand rough treatment."

Wang the matchmaker suddenly understood Chen Xiaomi's intentions; Chen Xiaomi simply wanted to find someone to do the housework for her family.

Lu Lin took Chen Xiaocai to pick out engagement gifts, while Chen Xiaomi went to choose a matchmaker.

Chen Xiaomi chose Wang the matchmaker, and Lu Lin only found out afterward.

"The matchmaker you found is Wang," Lu Lin said, somewhat strangely.

Chen Xiaocai nodded and said, "Yes, the candidates have all been chosen, so it doesn't matter which matchmaker we use."

“That’s true. However, this matchmaker, Wang, seems to be the one who arranged for Lu Tong to marry that widower,” Lu Lin said.

Chen Xiaocai blinked and said, "Ah, I forgot."

Lu Lin shook his head. Lu Tong's marriage was also full of twists and turns. Before, Tang Shi disliked Li Ji for being a widower and kicked the matchmaker out. Later, because no one was willing to offer such a high dowry, she turned around and married her daughter to Li Ji. It is estimated that Li Ji's impression of his mother-in-law was not very good either.

Lu Tong's life after marrying into Li Ji's family doesn't seem to be going very well. However, it can't be entirely blamed on the Li family. Madam Tang swallowed all of her daughter's betrothal gifts and frequently came to their house to beg for money. It's no wonder that the old lady of the Li family wouldn't treat Lu Tong well. Moreover, although Lu Tong is pretty, she's very spoiled and can't do any housework.

Shen Family

Granny Shen looked at Shen Chi, who kept looking towards the door, and said, "Stop looking. The auspicious day is three days from now. You should come on that day."

Chen Chi nodded and said "Oh".

Grandma Shen sighed. It seemed that everyone in the village regarded them as people who had been driven back, and they gloated behind their backs. Grandma Shen was too embarrassed to say that they had come back to prepare for an engagement. If she said that too early, people would probably think she was lying.

Chen Chi rubbed his hands together, his face flushed, feeling a little nervous.

When Shen Chi was in town, he learned that Lu Lin had proposed marriage to Chen Xiaocai. Although he was happy, he was not too surprised. Shen Chi had a vague feeling of affection for Chen Xiaocai and vaguely felt that Chen Xiaocai seemed to like him as well. However, he was always afraid that he had misunderstood, so he did not dare to think too much about it.

After Lu Lin visited Granny Shen, Chen Xiaocai also visited Shen Chi.

Chen Xiaolai gave Chen Chi a small silver pendant, which Chen Xiaocai had bought when he was in Liuzhen.

The two sat in the courtyard and chatted for a long time.

Before going out to wash things, he was pointed at and gossiped about by several village girls. The leader of the girls said he was indecent, so he was sent back.

Shen Chi never expected that the villagers could be so mean. Shen Chi suddenly realized that Xiao Cai and Xiao Mi Ge probably grew up enduring such rumors, and that Xiao Cai and Xiao Mi Ge had to endure far more rumors than he had.

Shen Chi originally had a lot of confidence in Chen Xiaocai, but the villagers all said that he was not good enough for Chen Xiaocai and that he was sent back. At first, it was fine, but after hearing it so many times, Shen Chi himself began to lose confidence.

Grandma Shen didn't mention Chen Xiaocai and Shen Chi to anyone. She just said that she had come home to take care of some things, which caused all sorts of rumors to spread throughout the village.

However, once Matchmaker Wang came, the rumors in the village immediately stopped.

Wang the matchmaker was in the business of matchmaking and arranging marriages; she could chat with anyone she met.

Curious villagers asked Wang the matchmaker's purpose. Wang told them that she had come to ask Shen Chi for his birth date and time so that she could have their birth dates matched. Naturally, the villagers asked who Shen Chi wanted his birth date and time matched with. Wang did not hide anything and said directly that if things went smoothly, Chen Xiaocai would come to propose marriage in a few days.

Wang the matchmaker's words caused an uproar. Those who had been gloating were stunned. It turned out that Chen Chi hadn't been sent back, but had really come back to deal with some matters.

The villagers complained that Granny Shen had kept it a secret for too long and hadn't given them a heads-up, making many of those who had made sarcastic remarks lose face. In the evening, Granny Shen's neighbor, Granny Li, came to visit.

Grandma Li and Grandma Shen are old neighbors, and they have a good relationship.

"You kept it a secret for too long. It turns out you came to the countryside to prepare for your wedding. I thought... Chen Xiaomi was just a treacherous fellow."

Grandma Shen said helplessly, "I didn't say anything, it's just rumors spread by the villagers."

"Xiao Cai and Shen Chi are a very good match."

Granny Chen smiled and said, "It's alright. Our Achi is quite hardworking. The Chen brothers like people who can endure hardship."

"It's good to be able to endure hardship, but it's also important to live a down-to-earth life. I don't think Lu Chengyu married a rich girl. The Lu family hasn't improved at all; in fact, it seems like they're getting poorer and poorer."

Granny Shen lowered her head and didn't speak. Shen Chi often hung around Chen Xiaomi and overheard that Chen Xiaomi had accidentally let slip that Li Ru was just a concubine.

Shen Chi didn't realize who Li Ru was at the time. During a casual chat, he started talking to Granny Shen, which gave Granny Shen a fright.

Granny Shen had warned Shen Chi not to talk nonsense. Granny Shen couldn't figure out whether Lu Lin found out afterward that Li Ru was a concubine or knew before Lu Chengyu's marriage, but didn't remind him.

The Zhang family.

Zhang Xiuhe said dejectedly, "Is this matchmaker Wang just talking nonsense? Chen Xiaocai really has taken a liking to Shen Chi."

Zhang Xiuhe had seen Granny Chen rush back before, and assumed that Lu Lin disliked Granny Chen and was taking the opportunity to kick her while she was down.

As a result, Granny Chen and Chen Xiaomi immediately became in-laws, so naturally Granny Chen wouldn't be left out.

Zhang Jin glanced at his aunt and said, "Matchmaker Wang wouldn't joke about something like this."

Zhang Xiuhe said with dissatisfaction, "Didn't they say that Chen Xiaomi is rich now? Why is she still finding a little Shuang'er for her younger brother? Could it be that he's just a pretty face?"

"Perhaps, Chen Xiaocai likes Xiao Shuang'er."

Zhang Xiuhe curled her lips and said, "What's so good about Shuang'er? The Chen family already has two Shuang'ers, yet they still want to bring another Shuang'er into the family."

"What can you do if people like it?"

Zhang Xiuhe muttered under her breath, "That old hag, Granny Chen, is so cunning. She deliberately kept it a secret and embarrassed me."

“She didn’t say she was sent back; you’re the one who guessed she was sent back.” Zhang Jin felt that his aunt was entirely reaping what she sowed.

Seeing that Granny Shen was sent back, people assumed it was because the big boss disliked Granny Shen's cooking skills and sent her away. He even put on airs and told people that Granny Shen's position was rightfully hers. But it turned out that Granny Shen wasn't sent back at all; she had come back to prepare for her engagement.

"Brother, why don't you go and talk to Lu Lin?" Zhang Xiuhe said to Zhang Cheng.

Zhang Xiuhe had already spread the word that she would take over Granny Shen's place, so this sudden news of an engagement put Zhang Xiuhe in an awkward position.

"What are you talking about?" Zhang Cheng asked.

“My skills are far superior to those of that old woman, Granny Shen,” Zhang Xiuhe said.

Zhang Cheng took a drag of his cigarette. He could let others go, but he had no confidence in Lu Lin at all. Before, when Chen Xiaomi was repairing her house, he was tricked by Lu Lin, which made the villagers very disappointed in him. They felt that it was because he didn't let the villagers repair Lu Lin's house that the skills of repairing kang beds were learned by people from the neighboring village.

Zhang Cheng felt that something was off about Lu Lin marrying into Chen Xiaomi's family; it was as if he had become a completely different person.