Chapter 121 Shen Tang Returns to the Capital with Meng Huaiyan
Chapter 121 Shen Tang Returns to the Capital with Meng Huaiyan
Having decided to return to the capital, Shen Tang no longer hesitated.
The next day, I contacted Aunt Zhang, who had rented the shop and house to me, and told her that I was moving out of the south of the city so that she could start looking for new tenants.
When Aunt Zhang heard that she was leaving, after her initial surprise, a deep sense of reluctance appeared on her face.
Shen Tang was also very reluctant to part, but in life, one can't avoid facing many partings.
Aunt Zhang has taken good care of her and Manman over the past few years. Seeing that she was raising the child alone, she would always think of them during holidays and bring them a lot of her own food and gifts.
In recent years, Nancheng opened up overseas trade, and the number of immigrants increased dramatically. The rents of surrounding houses rose accordingly, but hers remained at the same price.
Shen Tang remembered her kindness, and holding her hand, he couldn't help but feel a little teary-eyed: "Aunt Zhang, thank you so much for taking care of me all these years. If you ever have the chance to come to the capital, remember to come and see me."
Aunt Zhang nodded, her voice choked with emotion.
Shen Tang dropped out of her full schedule of classes. The child didn't understand the meaning of parting yet, and was very happy to hear that she didn't have to go to school anymore.
Shen Tang prepared farewell gifts for her neighbors and personally delivered them to each of them to thank them for their care over the years.
The capital city is no less than a thousand miles away from the southern city, and they both knew in their hearts that this parting might be the last time they would ever see each other again, which made them feel sad.
Aunt Chen, in particular, couldn't help but burst into tears when she heard the news that she was leaving.
Manman had no idea why she was crying so hard, so she ran over to wipe her tears: "Grandma Chen, don't cry, don't cry, it won't hurt anymore~"
Hearing these comforting words, Aunt Chen felt a pang of sadness and hugged Manman, crying even louder.
She never had a daughter in her life, and all these years she has treated Shen Tang and Manman as half a daughter and granddaughter. She is already over fifty years old and doesn't have many years left to live.
This parting means there is no possibility of ever seeing each other again.
But she couldn't bring herself to say anything to persuade her to stay. Life is hard for women, and it's even harder for a woman raising a child alone.
Now she has been able to reconcile with her husband and has someone she can rely on.
Although she was reluctant to let her go, she was also genuinely happy for her and earnestly hoped that she would be happy for the rest of her life.
After crying for a while, Aunt Chen finally felt a little better. She held Chen Tang's hand and gave him earnest advice.
"Everyone argues and bickers in life. As long as the person treats you well and the children well, don't get a divorce easily. Just try to make the best of a future together."
Shen Tang nodded, her voice choked with emotion: "Okay."
The day Shen Tang and the others left Nancheng was a beautiful, sunny day.
The boat sailed steadily on the river, and Shen Tang's gaze was fixed on the increasingly distant Nancheng behind her, her eyes filled with reluctance.
It was windy on the boat, so Meng Huaiyan wrapped her up in a cloak: "If you miss them in the future, I will come back with you to visit them."
Shen Tang remained silent until the distant Nancheng behind her could no longer be seen, then she turned her gaze away and nodded to Meng Huaiyan.
A month later, they arrived in the capital. When they stepped onto the familiar land of the capital again, Shen Tang felt as if she had been in another world.
The Duke's mansion was no different from five years ago; it was still the familiar place she remembered.
When Shen Tang agreed to return to the capital with him, Meng Huaiyan wrote a letter to his grandmother and parents about Shen Tang's "resurrection".
Everyone in the Duke's mansion knew that they would arrive in the capital today. The people from the first, second, and third branches of the family gathered together today, each with their own thoughts, in the Old Madam's Rongshou Hall, waiting for Meng Huaiyan and Shen Tang.
Shen Tang led Manman by the hand and stepped into Rongshou Hall. With Manman, they knelt on the ground and respectfully bowed to the old lady.
"Grandson and granddaughter-in-law greet their grandmother."
"Manman greets her great-grandmother."
While on the ship, Shen Tang taught Manman some etiquette for bowing. Manman was a little rusty at doing it, but she was still passable in general.
After all, they are still young, and even if they don't do well, no one will blame a child.
When the old lady saw the little girl below the hall, her eyes widened instantly, and she stood up abruptly, shocked.
"This is Huaiyan's child?!"
Yan'er's letter only mentioned Shen Tang's matter, without mentioning the child at all.
Since Shen Tang's "death," Yan'er has devoted himself entirely to his official duties.
The eldest princess wanted to arrange a marriage for him, but he unceremoniously held a knife to the neck of the Right Chancellor's daughter, causing women in the capital to gossip behind their backs about how the Meng family was ill-mannered and arrogant.
Since then, the eldest princess seemed to have given up on the idea and never mentioned marriage again.
The old lady had hinted to him several times, both openly and subtly, that the dead cannot be brought back to life, and that he should get married and have a child.
But Meng Huaiyan remained silent each time.
Over the years, the old lady had given up hope, thinking she would never be able to hold Meng Huaiyan's child in her lifetime.
But unexpectedly, a pleasant surprise suddenly fell from the sky.
The old lady excitedly got off the chair, walked to Manman, and helped her up. The child's face was clearly visible to her.
Manman's face, except for her mouth which doesn't resemble Meng Huaiyan's, is practically a carbon copy of Meng Huaiyan's.
The old lady was overwhelmed with emotion: "Good child, let your great-grandmother hold you~"
Manman was still shy and reserved around strangers, and couldn't help but move closer to Chen Tang.
Shen Tang patted her head reassuringly: "Manman, this is your great-grandmother. She likes you. Can you let her hold you?"
After hesitating for a while, Manman finally extended her hands to the old lady.
The old lady excitedly picked her up and hugged her, her eyes filled with undisguised excitement and joy.
She is already over seventy years old and has long since become indifferent to worldly affairs. Now she just wants to be an ordinary old woman, enjoying the company of her children and grandchildren.
As for their wives' appearance, character, power, status, and whether they were a good match, she no longer interfered or meddled.
The old lady sat down in the chair with Manman in her arms, and the more she looked at him, the happier she became.
She didn't prepare any gifts, but without hesitation, she took off the jade bracelet that she had worn for decades.
“Manman, this is a gift from your great-grandmother to mark our first meeting.”
That jade bracelet was a gift from the old lady when she was young, given to her by the old Duke. She always cherished it, but she never expected that it would be given to a child this time.
Upon seeing this, Shen Tang hurriedly said, "Grandmother, this bracelet is too valuable, we can't accept it."
The old lady's tone, however, brooked no refusal: "A gift from an elder cannot be refused."
Shen Tang was about to speak again when Meng Huaiyan gently tugged at her sleeve, stopping her.
Meng Huaiyan bowed deeply to the old lady and said gratefully, "Thank you, Grandmother."
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