Shen Qing had argued with Shen Liang on New Year's Eve, and Shen Liang didn't mention the matter of her meeting the widower for several days, so she had a few days of peace and quiet.
New Year's Eve arrived quickly.
Mrs. Chen got up early in the morning to prepare ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner.
With nothing else to do, Shen Qing stood in the kitchen watching her prepare the ingredients.
This Chen family member is an excellent cook and has a gentle personality. With Chen Liang by her side, he eats well, sleeps well, and is relaxed. No wonder he has lived here for many years.
“For the past two years since you got married, I’ve been eating New Year’s Eve dinner all alone,” Chen said, laughing and crying at the same time. “Now that you’re back for the New Year, we can finally eat New Year’s Eve dinner together and stay up together like before!”
Shen Qing said, "Next year, you can also come to Jiangzhou and spend the New Year with me."
Mrs. Chen smiled bitterly: "What kind of logic is it for a woman's family to go to her husband's family home to celebrate the New Year with her... It will make your husband's family look down on you..."
Shen Qing snorted and said smugly, "I'm in charge of the Gao family now. You can go ahead, no one will dare to say anything."
Madam Chen turned her head to look at the courtyard gate behind her and lowered her voice: "Qing'er, keep a low profile."
Shen Qing felt that she was living too hard: "You're in your own courtyard, what are you afraid of? Say whatever you want!"
"Be careful, the walls may be eavesdropping..."
Shen Qing deliberately raised his voice: "Anyone who dares to tell anyone what happened in this courtyard will be beaten to death!"
Of course, I didn't really intend to kill anyone; I was just trying to scare the servants.
Just then, a maidservant hurried into the courtyard and called out, "Aunt Chen, Aunt Chen?"
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Chen exclaimed "Oh!" and stopped cooking the fish, wiping her hands on her apron as she went out to greet him: "What's wrong?"
"The old lady invites you and Miss Fifth to have New Year's Eve dinner in the West Courtyard tonight."
Mrs. Chen was pleasantly surprised and asked again, "The old lady invited Qing'er and me to go together?"
"Yes." The maid bowed slightly to her. "Please make sure you and the Fifth Miss are there on time. I'll head back now."
"Okay!"
Madam Chen turned around, her eyes red as she looked at Shen Qing: "Qing'er, Qing'er, your grandmother has invited us to have New Year's Eve dinner!"
Shen Qing was a little annoyed: "I don't want to go. There's nothing to say to those people."
Mrs. Chen said with deep gratitude, "Your grandmother is finally willing to accept us! I've lived in the South Courtyard for twenty years, and this is the first time she's invited us to eat here..."
As he spoke, he clasped his hands together, faced the sky, and murmured words of thanks to the gods.
Shen Qing shook her head, turned around and went back into the house.
Chen didn't have time to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner; she quickly had her maid come into the room to help her dress up.
Shen Qing sat under the eaves watching the snow, pondering how to proceed next year.
After the New Year, we'll be going to collect spring wool again. Before summer, we'll ship the 500,000 down jackets for Walker, then work on the goods for merchants from Guangzhou and Fujian, and also deal with Boss Lu's sacks.
These tasks should be completed before the start of autumn. What should we do after that?
Shen Qing thought of the warehouse full of silk fabrics belonging to the Gao family.
Now that we're free from debt and not in a rush to make money, it's time to figure out how to sell that huge warehouse of silk...
"Qing'er," Madam Chen came out of the house, walked up to Shen Qing, and turned around, "Do you think I look good in this dress?"
Shen Qing snapped out of her reverie and casually remarked, "Beautiful!"
Mrs. Chen smiled happily and came forward to pull her along, saying, "Come on, you should change into something more festive."
"I don't want to, I'll go like this."
Chen said anxiously, "This is the first time your grandmother has invited us to New Year's Eve dinner. She will be unhappy if you dress like this."
Shen Qing was thinking about business matters when she was interrupted, which already made her a little unhappy. Seeing that she was still arguing about these trivial matters, she immediately raised her voice and said, "What does her unhappiness have to do with me? I'm dressed like this! If she's unhappy, it's best if she kicks me out, then I won't have to deal with her anymore!"
Madam Chen stared blankly at her, her eyes reddening: "Qing'er... why has your temper become so short? You used to be so well-behaved, you weren't like this..."
Shen Qing sneered: "You're very obedient, that's why you get bullied. Alright, you can go ahead and do your work. Call me when you're ready to leave."
Chen wiped away her tears and went into the house.
Shen Qing continued thinking about business matters, and as he thought about it, he recalled the old woman and Shen Yu's faces on the eve of the Lunar New Year a few days ago.
Tonight, it's likely another trap.
Only Chen was still foolishly convinced that the old woman was finally willing to accept her.
Chen's personality is so weak and submissive; no wonder her daughter is just as weak and submissive.
She was bullied by her sisters at her parents' home, and she was still bullied after marrying into the Gao family.
He was bullied his whole life.
But now that this body's core belongs to her, no way you can bully her!
...
In the evening, Shen Qing followed Madam Chen to the west courtyard.
Upon entering the hall, they discovered that Shen Liang's legal wife, Madam Wang, and his two daughters were also present.
This was the first time Shen Qing had met Wang Shi.
This Wang was more than ten years older than Chen. She was burly and, having given birth to five children, her figure was out of shape. Her face was full of fat, and she looked to weigh at least 200 pounds.
She spoke to the old lady in a loud, rough voice, occasionally casting a fierce glare at Chen Shi and Shen Qing.
Looking at Chen, she was slender, fair-skinned, and youthful. She spoke softly and gently, always putting Shen Liang first, and was also a skilled cook.
Shen Qing suddenly understood why Shen Liang had been living in the South Courtyard for so long.
Ah, men.
Just then, I saw Wang walking towards us.
Chen's face immediately turned pale, and her hands trembled slightly.
Madam Wang walked over, hands on her hips, and shouted, "What are you still standing here for? Don't you know how to come in and pay your respects?"
Chen's body trembled slightly, and she said in a trembling voice, "Happy New Year, sister."
Wang sneered, saying sarcastically, "Who's your sister? I don't have a shameless sister like you who steals other people's men!"
Every word and phrase was a reminder that Chen was a lowly concubine.
Chen blushed, lowered her head, and dared not say a word.
Wang became even more agitated and actually pushed Chen, saying, "In front of me, you only deserve to call yourself a 'lowly woman'!"
Chen cried out, "Sister..."
Wang cursed, "Who's your sister? You shameless woman!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand to slap Chen, but Shen Qing grabbed his wrist.
Shen Qing shielded Chen behind her and faced Wang: "What do you want? You want my mother to pay her respects, yet you say you're not her sister? Then tell me what you want to be!"
By the end, she practically shouted it out.
Wang was greatly surprised.
It wasn't Shen Qing's tone that startled him, but rather his shock at her daring to speak loudly to him and glare at him.
This girl, whom I last saw two years ago, didn't dare to look up at me, hiding behind Chen like a quail about to be trampled to death.
"Oh ho!" Madam Wang glared at Shen Qing. "You wretched girl, what are you so smug about? Who are you trying to provoke? I'll gouge your eyes out!"
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