Overwhelmed with emotion, she couldn't help but timidly call out, "Aunt Qin, Uncle Chen..."
Her words brought everyone back to their senses.
Oh, and there's another one kneeling on the ground!
The gentleness on Qin Peilan's face vanished instantly. She turned her head away and remained silent, clearly not wanting to talk to her right now.
She was truly and utterly disappointed in He Wanrou.
Shen Zhenbang, however, gave them the order to leave without ceremony, saying in an icy tone:
"We've already given you plenty of face, aren't you leaving? Do you expect someone to personally escort you out?"
His words were extremely harsh and showed no mercy; it was the first time He Wanrou had ever felt the anger of a soldier.
She trembled and dared not say anything more. She staggered to her feet from the cold ground, not caring that she was soaking wet and disheveled. With her head down, she dared not look at anyone and slunk out of the yard.
Soon after, the voices of Zhou Shuhua and the Shen family members surrounding Zhou Qiqi, filled with concern, echoed from the main room behind her. Hearing those voices, He Wanrou felt another pang of heartache.
She had to admit that Zhou Qiqi was indeed a formidable character!
They defeated her without her even making a sound; she had learned her lesson.
Let's forget about turning the tide...
Let's think about how to squeeze more money out of the Shen family.
She already knew that the Shen family was very wealthy. The old couple had held high positions of power in their early years, and there were also pensions and other benefits for their two sons.
Now, with such a capable daughter-in-law as Zhou Qiqi, their family has more money than they can spend.
If you give her more, she can live a life of comfort and security.
After He Wanrou left, the air in the room felt much fresher.
Without saying a word, Shen Huaichuan picked up the teacup that He Wanrou had just used and threw it directly into the dustpan in the corner.
She picked up the mop again and wiped the spot where she had stood several times before brewing hot tea again and inviting everyone to sit down.
Qin Peilan, still shaken but filled with gratitude, quickly had her son bring out the exquisitely packaged pastry box that her old comrade-in-arms had given her, and kept stuffing it into Zhou Shuhua's hands.
"Shuhua, we really owe you a lot today! If you hadn't come by just in time, Huaichuan would have been in deep trouble with her all by himself, and he would have been in a really messy situation! Come on, try this, it will calm you down."
Zhou Shuhua quickly waved her hand: "No, no, I came here today to deliver pastries."
As she spoke, she pointed to the "Daoxiangcun" pastry box on the cabinet by the door and said,
"My nephew Lei Ming came back from his vacation today and specially bought some Beijing Eight Delicacies. He bought too much, so I thought I'd get a box for Qiqi to try."
Qin Peilan glanced at the exquisite pastry box, then looked meaningfully at Zhou Qiqi, and said to Zhou Shuhua with a smile:
"Shuhua, you really always think about Qiqi when you have something good. Every day you send her seasonal fruits, pastries, or snacks. You even thought about getting her a pair of crocheted coasters. Qiqi, don't you think so?"
Her words carried a clear hint of matchmaking, hoping that Zhou Qiqi would pick up the conversation and ease the tension between her and Zhou Shuhua.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shuhua's face immediately showed a hint of panic and embarrassment. She waved her hands repeatedly, her voice becoming slightly stuttering, and said:
"No, no, it's nothing, not worth mentioning. Well... something just happened at home, you must have something to say, so I... I won't stay any longer, I'll be going now."
She knows Zhou Qiqi's temperament best; she's very proud and has strong opinions, so there's no way she'd forgive her for something like this.
She didn't want Zhou Qiqi to feel like she was putting her on a pedestal, otherwise she wouldn't even have the chance to give her gifts.
As she spoke, she stood up, afraid of causing Zhou Qiqi any trouble.
Qin Peilan gave Zhou Qiqi a wink: "Qiqi, go see your aunt off."
"No need! You really don't need to take me! It's all inside the compound, just around the corner!"
Zhou Shuhua refused repeatedly and hurriedly walked out of the courtyard.
Unexpectedly, after taking only a few steps, a clear voice called out from behind: "Wait!"
Zhou Shuhua paused, her heart skipped a beat—it was Qiqi!
She quickly turned around, so excited she could barely speak: "Qi...Qiqi, really, you don't need to see me off, it's just a short walk..."
Zhou Qiqi quickened her pace to catch up with her, a mixture of amusement and exasperation on her face, and waved the rain-washed sky-blue coat in her hand:
"I didn't come to give you this, it's your coat. It got soaked just now, it's still here."
"Huh? Oh! Oh oh oh!"
Zhou Shuhua suddenly realized that she was still wearing someone else's clothes!
She blushed instantly and frantically tried to take it off on the spot.
"Look at my brain! I was so busy talking that I forgot! I'm so sorry! I'll take it off and give it back to you right away!"
Qiqi stepped forward and gently pressed her hand, stopping her movement.
"Wear it for now, and you can take it back later."
Her words stemmed from genuine concern.
After all, it's so cold now, and Zhou Shuhua isn't young anymore. If she goes back wearing just a sweater, she'll definitely catch a cold.
But to Zhou Shuhua, it took on a completely different meaning.
Qiqi wanted to wash the clothes she had worn before and return them because they were dirty!
She became even more flustered, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes, her face filled with guilt, and she nodded, saying:
"Yes, yes, look at me, you've gotten these clothes dirty, they need to be washed...washed clean, ironed, and then returned to you..."
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