Chapter 20 Mulberries, I'll plant mulberries all over Chang'an for you. ...

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Zhu Qing woke up to the sounds of her family bustling about in the early morning.

Zhu Qing opened her sleepy eyes, curled up beside her, leaned on her shoulder, and slept soundly.

Outside, there was the rustling sound of Zhu Zhengyang sharpening his knife, the clucking of Zhu Feichuan feeding the chickens, and the thumping sound of Zhu Yubo pounding herbs…

The sounds of busy activity mingled together, seemingly chaotic yet orderly, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

In her past life, she would wake up to the alarm clock every morning, quickly wash up, eat breakfast like she was in a battle, and then rush to catch the subway.

On the subway, I put on my headphones and silently immerse myself in my own world. After work, I'm still alone in my empty rented room. I quickly eat some takeout, start studying, and then fall asleep exhausted.

Day after day, year after year, it's all so mechanical, just like an NPC.

Now, outside her window, pomegranate branches sway in the wind, a few bright red petals drift down, and in the distant village, wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys of the houses.

It was a refreshing and comfortable feeling I had never experienced before.

She will try her best to protect all of this.

"Zhu Feichuan, come quick! My dad's in the toilet again!" A startled shout suddenly came from outside.

"Can't you keep your voice down? You're making such a racket! Qingqing is still sleeping!" Zhu Feichuan complained, but hurriedly dropped the basket of millet he was feeding the chickens and ran to the Chen family next door.

The Chen family has an only daughter, Chen Sangguo.

Zhu Qing remembers that Chen Sangguo's father had been bedridden for many years, unconscious, and needed someone to take care of him for eating, drinking, and toileting.

Sangguo lived alone with her unconscious father. Although daughters are supposed to distance themselves from their fathers as they grow up, Chen Sangguo couldn't abandon him and had to take care of him with great difficulty.

The ancients were so feudal in their thinking. They said that filial piety was the most important virtue, but no one was willing to marry someone like Chen Sangguo.

Some people gossiped behind her back, while others told Chen Sangguo to give up and focus on living her own life.

But how could Chen Sangguo let go? She remembered how her father used to hold her arm when she was a child, warm and steady, and how she used to sit on her father's shoulders and reach out to pick the mulberries hanging high up.

So she remained silent, taking care of her father day after day, year after year.

The older she got, the more gossip there was, and all sorts of rumors circulated. Chen Sangguo, an orphan, could only silently endure it.

Once, the rumors got so bad that Zhu Feichuan, who lived next door, couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed the large knife that Zhu Zhengyang used to handle his prey, stormed into the house, and smashed the table in half with one blow.

The head of the family was furious. He pointed at Zhu Feichuan's nose and cursed, "You're meddling in Chen Sangguo's affairs? She's too old to get married..."

"Who said she can't get married? Shut your dog mouth!"

"A daughter should avoid her father when she grows up. She's already sixteen and still taking such good care of her dad. Who's going to marry her? You? Your family is dirt poor. If it weren't for the village chief's help, your little sister wouldn't have survived. What are you going to use to marry her!"

Zhu Feichuan's face turned ashen, and he gritted his teeth: "I'll be rich in the future! I'll become a big businessman like Feng Ruling!"

Feng Ruling was Feng Huaihe's biological father. He was a merchant in Chang'an for a century. The Feng family started their fortune during the Silk Road era and still exists today.

What a high threshold that was! The villagers all laughed at him for dreaming.

"I'm sure I'll become a big businessman this time!" Zhu Feichuan's voice came into the room again: "I've already figured out a way to deal with Qingqing's pile of unused stuff!"

Zhu Qing listened, then silently got up and dressed.

Manman woke up as well, and the aunt and niece got dressed and went outside.

Inside the fenced yard, Zhang Yin was sweeping the yard.

After the rain, the morning light was dappled through the branches of the jujube tree, falling on him like a frozen old painting.

He wore Zhu Yubo's clothes, a green robe, like a wisp of green smoke, like mist on the river, elegant and handsome.

Noticing that Zhu Qing was looking at him, he turned to the side and bowed politely to her.

Zhu Qing smiled back and went with Manman to fetch water to wash up.

After washing up, she pulled Manman to sit under the jujube tree, braiding Manman's hair into a topknot while looking at the fenced yard.

Zhu Feichuan and Sangguo are feeding the chickens.

Zhu Feichuan: "I'll soon become a great merchant, definitely more powerful than Feng Ruling. You used to envy Li Shimin for planting ginkgo trees, but that's nothing. I'll buy Chang'an and plant mulberry trees all over the city for you, how about that?"

Chen Sangguo grabbed a handful of millet and scattered it into the chicken coop: "I think we don't need to feed the chickens millet anymore."

Zhu Feichuan asked earnestly, "Why is that?"

"The pie in the sky you're painting is enough to feed these chickens!"

Zhu Feichuan: "..."

After sharpening his knife, Zhu Zhengyang suggested slaughtering the rabbit he had hunted yesterday. He glared at Zhu Feichuan and said, "You've been feeding the chickens all morning. Can't you do something productive?"

"Let's have breakfast first." Nie Zhen wiped her hands and walked out of the kitchen.

Sangguo dashed inside and helped carry the food out.

The whole family, including Sangguo and Zhang Yin, gathered around the square table in the main room.

Nie Zhen ladled a bowl of porridge for her daughter, then casually touched her braid, asking suspiciously, "Is this topknot braid tied backwards?"

Her two braids stood straight up to the left and right, and with the slightest movement, they would poke someone.

Zhu Qing: "..."

Nie Zhen: "But it's quite stylish."

Chen Sangguo praised, "Qingqing's cooking is excellent, and Manman is even cuter!"

Zhu Qing blushed.

Nie Zhen and Manman sat on either side of her, while Zhang Yin, a man from outside the family, sat opposite her.

She could see Zhang Yin's every move.

It was clear that when Nie Zhen said the topknot was tied backwards, Zhang Yin subtly curved his lips into a smile.

He's secretly laughing!

Zhu Qing gripped her chopsticks tightly.

Zhu Feichuan then said, "Qingqing, it's a rare day off today, I'll take you to a nice place."

Zhu Zhengyang glanced at him and said sternly, "She's in poor health, don't do anything reckless."

"Oh, it's not like we're doing anything special, just taking her out for a walk!" Zhu Feichuan winked at Zhu Qing, "Right?"

Zhu Qing remained silent.

He then looked at Zhu Yubo: "Second Brother? Say something!"

Zhu Yubo remained silent for a while, then said, "Qingqing is just physically weak, which is why she needs to take medicine to regulate her body. Going out for walks more often is actually good for her."

"Yes, yes, Qingqing, let's go!" Zhu Feichuan seemed very excited.

Zhang Yin interjected, "I have something to say. May I ask if Brother Zhu is heading to Chang'an?"

Zhu Feichuan thought for a moment, "I'll be passing by."

Zhang Yin: "May I come along? I should be going now, it's not good to bother you any longer."

Zhu Yubo asked, "Won't you rest for a couple more days? Your injury?"

Zhang Yin smiled and said, "That's enough. I'm busy with affairs and eager to find my relatives, so I can't afford to delay."

Uncle Zhu Yu didn't try to persuade him any further, but instead looked at Zhu Qing: "It rained yesterday, but it's sunny today. You can go for a walk with your third brother."

If you pass through Chang'an, you can go to the market to buy paper, pens, and primers for Manman.

Although Zhu Qing had some books and pens, they were all strategist manuals, unsuitable for someone so young.

After thinking it over, Zhu Qing nodded in agreement.

After the family finished their meal, Zhu Qing tidied up and went out with Zhu Feichuan.

Zhu Feichuan and Chen Sangguo drove the oxcart in front, while she and Zhang Yin sat in the back, bouncing along.

It was like two socially awkward people getting together; neither of them spoke, listening to the two people in front of them chattering away, creating a somewhat awkward atmosphere.

In silence.

Zhu Qing suddenly remembered that she had promised Feng Huaihe that she would go to the head secretary's courtyard to help him plant forsythia on her day off.

If she stands up the big boss, won't he make things difficult for her?

Zhu Qing thought again, "I'll play with Zhu Feichuan for a while first, then go. It should be fine, right?"

Although the leader is a bit abnormal, he must have a magnanimous heart that ordinary people don't have to sit in this position, and he certainly won't do anything because of this!

A note from the author:

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Mr. Feng: I'm not magnanimous at all, wife, please come back!

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Thank you for the nutritional solution, babies! [Kiss][Fireworks]