Chapter 86 Returning Home

"The young lady and her husband have arrived."

A servant came to report that Shen Yanhuai had taken Ye Yunyi and Shen Yuanqiong to the outer courtyard.

Shen Yuanqiong stared intently at the door, her eyes filled with anticipation.

A short while later, two people walked in from outside.

Although Shen Yuanqiong came from a merchant family, she was very strict with herself and, like the daughters of officials, rarely left her home. She followed the traditional virtues of a woman: gentleness, kindness, humility, and frugality, and acted in the manners of an official.

Therefore, she didn't meet many people, and the only man of her age she was familiar with was Xie Xuchuan, who often visited her home.

Xie Xuchuan was exceptionally handsome, and Shen Yuanqiong always felt that there was no man in the world more handsome than Xie Xuchuan.

Unexpectedly, Xie Qi was even more handsome and dashing than Xie Xuchuan.

Shen Yuanqiong turned her gaze to Shen Yuanzhu.

"Sister Yuanqiong."

From afar, Shen Yuanzhu waved her round fan and called out to Shen Yuanqiong. Her movements were flamboyant, revealing her head full of jeweled hairpins and jewelry.

Shen Yuanqiong then got a clear look at her attire.

"Brother, sister-in-law."

Shen Yuanzhu greeted Shen Yanhuai and his wife with a smile, and Xie Qi followed suit.

Shen Yanhuai was a man of few words by nature. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xie Qi, he had nothing more to say.

“Your elder brother asked me to prepare good wine early yesterday morning, just waiting for you to return home today. Now that your parents are gone, there aren’t many formalities at home.”

"Since this is Xie Qi's first visit, why don't we go and see Yuanzhu's courtyard from before she got married?"

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Ye Yunyi smiled and spoke.

The courtyard where Shen Yuanzhu lived before she got married?

Xie Qi pursed his lips and nodded slightly.

Ye Yunyi led the way, while the two sisters lagged behind.

"The Agarwood Pearl..."

"What's wrong?"

Shen Yuanzhu turned her head and blinked her round eyes, looking at Shen Yuanqiong with a puzzled expression.

"The world has been deceived by your face. Just because others don't know your despicable methods doesn't mean I don't."

Shen Yuanqiong was so angry that her voice choked with sobs: "Shen Yuanzhu, you... are truly despicable."

"Yeah?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanzhu smiled and held up her fan in front of her to cover her smile.

Shen Yuanqiong was about to say something more when she saw her extend a finger and stab it hard on the fan.

The peony tapestry was as thin as a cicada's wing; even without any force, a huge hole was instantly poked into the fan.

Shen Yuanzhu remained silent, only smiling as she looked at Shen Yuanqiong, then slowly, bit by bit, turned the fan into a tattered mess.

"you……"

Even though she didn't say a word, Shen Yuanqiong understood what the other person meant.

What she had worked so hard to acquire and cherished for so many years was nothing but a pile of worthless junk in Shen Yuanzhu's hands.

Shen Yuanqiong touched the lonely pearl hairpin in her hair and almost burst into tears.

Discarding the useless fan ribs, Shen Yuanzhu pinched her nose and made a very funny face at Shen Yuanqiong.

When Shen Yuanqiong saw this, she was so angry that her heart almost ached.

After Ye Yunyi brought Xie Qi back to Shen Yuanzhu's courtyard, she went to prepare for the homecoming banquet. Shen Yuanqiong stared at the two of them, reluctant to leave.

Normally, Ye Yunyi would definitely bring her sister-in-law, whom she had watched grow up, along. However, the two had just had a big argument over Shen Yuanzhu's dowry a couple of days ago, and they hadn't reconciled yet, so she didn't want to meddle in other people's business.

Ye Yunyi left, and Shen Yuanqiong strode up to Xie Qi.

"Brother-in-law, you're not familiar with this place, let me show you around."

After saying that, she ignored Shen Yuanzhu's expression and walked to Xie Qi's side, whispering, "Brother-in-law and sister weren't familiar with each other before, were they?"

"Brother-in-law, don't let her delicate appearance fool you; she's got a strong will and never lets herself be taken advantage of. If you and your sister ever have a disagreement, you'd better be lenient with her, or else she might..."

Shen Yuanqiong laughed and said, "I'll eat you up completely, leaving not even the bones behind."

She spoke with a smile on her face, half-joking and half-serious, making it impossible for anyone to find fault with her.

Shen Yuanzhu looked at her with a half-smile, showing no sign of worry or fear.

She didn't need to rely on Xie Qi, so she naturally didn't care what he thought of her.

Shen Yuanqiong will never understand the confidence that Xiecuifang and "Shen Family Dyeing Manual" gave her.

Seeing that Shen Yuanzhu didn't seem anxious at all, Shen Yuanqiong wanted to say something more, but when she looked up at Xie Qi, she saw Xie Qi with a strange expression, pursing his lips and remaining silent.

What devoured him completely...

Xie Qi lowered her head, her delicate eyes slightly blurred, and she couldn't help but sigh that the Shen family was not strict enough in disciplining their daughter.

He reached out and pulled Shen Yuanzhu up, afraid that this reckless sister-in-law would lead her astray.

"Does my brother-in-law think I'm wrong?"

Shen Yuanqiong said, "I've learned a lot from her over the years, and I'm quite afraid of her."

"However, my elder sister does possess a captivating charm. When she was engaged to the eldest son of the Xie family, he was quite fond of her..."

Shen Yuanzhu glanced at her sideways, feeling that Shen Yuanqiong was really nothing new.

Aside from her marriage to Xie Xuchuan, couldn't she find something else to talk about?

She was tired of hearing such meaningless words.

"Brother-in-law, when my sister met the eldest son at the Xie family, were the two of them alright?"

“In the past, when the eldest son came to visit my sister, he would stay for a long time and bring me gifts and food. Now that they have broken off their engagement, shouldn’t I return those things to him?”

"Why don't I pack it up in a bit, and you can take it back to the Xie family and return it to the eldest young master? That way, we can't let outsiders say that I, a daughter of the Shen family, am short-sighted and like to take advantage of others."

Shen Yuanqiong looked at Shen Yuanzhu and said, "By the way, the eldest young master used to like to give my sister a lot of little trinkets. Over the past ten years, he has given her several large boxes of them."

"My older sister treasures those things so much, she won't even let me touch them."

Seeing Xie Qi looking at her, Shen Yuanqiong lowered her eyes slightly: "Did I say something wrong? Brother-in-law, please don't blame me. I was just too sentimental, sentimental that my sister and the eldest young master, such a perfect match, would end up remarrying. It's just...

"It's a pity for the two of them."

After a pause, Shen Yuanqiong continued, "Perhaps I shouldn't be telling you this, but I just can't help it."

"When you go out in the future, people will talk to your brother-in-law about these things. Don't misunderstand your sister. After all, she and the eldest son have been in love for many years, and it's only natural for them to have occasional estrangement."

"But my sister isn't the type to be fickle, so please don't mind her."

Only after hearing this did Xie Qi realize that he had misunderstood.

His face turned cold: "No wonder your older sister is so popular, and you are often scolded by her."

"If you ask me, she didn't teach you enough; she didn't get rid of your gossipy habit at its root."

Xie Qi looked down at Shen Yuanqiong, whose face was alternating between green and white, and said to Shen Yuanzhu, "Your sister hasn't been taught a lesson enough."

"you……"

The young woman, who was not yet engaged, was being gossiped about, especially since Shen Yuanqiong always considered herself a lady from a respectable family. Upon hearing this, her face turned redder than her eyes.

She pointed at Xie Qi for a long time, then suddenly stomped her foot and ran away crying.

Shen Yuanzhu never expected that Xie Qi would help her reprimand Shen Yuanqiong. Just as she was about to thank him, Xie Qi took her hand and pulled her into the house...