Seeing Xu Lanyin's cold, disdainful gaze, Gu Wangchen sighed deeply and said softly, "It was my fault before. I let down Sister Yin. Whenever I think of the kindness Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu showed me when I was little, and Sister Yin's innocence and deep love, I feel that I have failed you. I will be going to Beijing tomorrow, and we may never see each other again. The jewelry in the brocade box is my little compensation. I hope Sister Yin can have a smooth life and find a good man soon."
After saying that, he clasped his fists and bowed to Xu Lanyin, then turned around and left in a hurry.
Xu Lanyin hadn't expected him to do this; it didn't suit his personality. She raised her voice and said, "Take your junk away. I don't want it."
Gu Wangchen acted as if he didn't hear anything. His feet moved like the wind and his figure disappeared at the entrance of the alley in an instant.
Xu Lanyin opened the brocade box on the bamboo table, revealing a plum blossom jade hairpin. The jade hairpin was emerald green and translucent, with exquisite carvings. It was estimated to be worth no less than two or three hundred taels of silver.
Gu Wangchen is a heartless man who only cares about interests. It is impossible for him to feel pity for his ex-fiancée.
Xu Lanyin suspected that the reason he was being so generous today and pretending to be so affectionate was most likely because he was afraid that I would expose his past and hinder his future career, so he was trying to make peace. He felt that this hairpin not only repaid the money he had spent on the Xu family, but also more, and hoped that I would "hold back" for the sake of their previous friendship...
As for whether there are other purposes, Xu Lanyin can't figure it out for the time being.
She closed the brocade box, went into the house and said to Xu Dashi, "Brother Dashi, please help me return this box to Gu Wangchen. Tell him that I don't envy his good life and don't bother me unless you have something to do."
Xu Dashi agreed, took the brocade box and hurried to a teahouse.
After hearing what Xu Dashi said, Gu Wangchen smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying to Xu Dashi, "Sister Yin still hates me. Alas, I was young and did things without much experience, and my mother has a quick temper, so it's no wonder that Sister Yin misunderstood me so deeply. From now on, I hope Brother Dashi will treat her well."
After saying that, he took out an ingot of silver and rewarded Xu Dashi.
Xu Dashi did not take the silver. He clasped his fists and said, "Lan Yin is my sister. I should treat her well. I don't deserve Lord Gu's reward." After that, he turned and left.
Gu Wangchen angrily dropped the silver ingot on the table, his expression shifting from gloomy to grim. The occasional murmur of Mrs. Gu's loud laughter and praise for her son only added to his irritation.
He particularly regretted pushing Xu Lanyin away completely, letting her change her ways out of poverty. He should have coaxed her into believing him so foolishly. Then he could have found an excuse to coax her into breaking off the engagement, and after marrying Qing'er, he could have taken her in as a concubine, specifically to serve his mother in Xiaozao Village.
Many officials' mothers stayed in their hometowns to grow up because they couldn't bear to leave their hometowns. He was an only son, and if he didn't bring his mother with him, he would have to take in a concubine to serve him, and no one could complain.
There is no need to bring my trouble-making and confused mother to the capital. Just give that girl the status of a concubine. Qing'er will definitely agree to this method.
He fully believed that Xu Lanyin, whose temperament had not changed much, would also like his arrangement. As long as she did not leave him, she would compromise on anything.
Now his and his mother's reputation in Xiaozao Village has been damaged. Even if he takes a concubine, he dare not let his mother live in the village. He dare not let his mother live in this teahouse, because there are big things to do here...
He had two purposes in giving Xu Lanyin the jade hairpin today. One was to return the money he had borrowed from her family several times over, hoping she would "do good deeds with her words." The other was to gauge her attitude. If she hadn't forgotten him, and her previous behavior was a display of deep love and harsh criticism, he would offer a suggestion that would benefit both of them.
But the girl had changed so much, the way she looked at him frightened him. Same face, different aura, different eyes, and a fickle heart… He deeply regretted his previous narrow vision and incompetent methods, his overly simplistic and direct thinking and actions, leaving him no escape route and leaving him with a vulnerability.
From now on, whether in the officialdom or at home, I must not do anything to the fullest, unless he is dead and can no longer be used by me or will not ruin my own affairs...
He was just thinking about something when a servant came to report that the shopkeeper Jin from next door wanted to see him.
The next day, Gu Wangchen and his mother left for the capital, accompanied by many officials and clansmen. Xu Lizheng also went to see them off, but he didn't even get to say a word, and was very depressed.
July 25th arrived, and the family had packed everything they needed to take to the county town. Not only were there bedding and daily necessities, but also a few hand-me-down pieces of furniture Xu Qingyan had made himself, which Qin couldn't bear to part with. The furniture had been shipped to the new house a few days earlier, and Qin's bedroom in her new home was mostly filled with old furniture.
In the afternoon, Xu Lanyin took Huazi to the mountains behind the village, and they went to the date tree where she had been "reborn" and where the original owner had "died." Just like the previous year, there were no dates within easy reach, only a few still hanging on the treetops.
The original owner lost his life for those dates, and I came here by chance.
Time flies so fast. It has been a whole year since she came here.
She sat in a daze under the jujube tree, the sky blue and white clouds, the greenery everywhere, but everything had changed...
It was not until the sun set that she got up and took Hanako home.
Before entering the yard, I heard the loud voices of Old Mrs. Xu and Old Man Xu, and occasionally the voice of Xu Lanzhou.
"Sister, you went into the mountains again? Why don't you wear a hat to avoid getting tanned?" Zhao Wucong said, sticking his head out of the small window in the west wing.
He hasn't been back to live here for three days.
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "Are you home today?"
Zhao Wu smiled and said, "We're moving tomorrow, so of course we have to come back."
The old couple and several people from the eldest wife had a lively dinner here, and then Xu Lanzhou went to Xu Lizheng's house and Fifth Grandpa's house and invited them to have dinner at their new home in the county town tomorrow.
Afterwards, Wang Jincai and Wang Sanni came home.
Wang Jincai gave Zhao Wu and the Xu family a set of fine porcelain bowls each. He said to Qin, "We are filial sons, so we won't go to the new family to congratulate them tomorrow." He also said to Zhao Wu, "No matter where you go, Brother Zhao, I will never forget you and will always follow your example."
Xu Lanyin found it very funny that Zhao Wu had become a role model for aspirations.
Zhao Wu was also a little embarrassed. He patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Work hard and try to do better than Uncle Zhao."
Xu Lanyin said to Wang Sanni again, "If you need anything, come to my house and find me."
She knew that Wang Sanni would occasionally go to the county town to set up a stall, and she gave her four pearl flowers bought in the provincial capital.
Early the next morning, Ding Gu came driving a mule cart, which was newly bought by Xu Lanyin's family.
After putting the things on top, Qin locked the door and stared at the yard for a while before getting into the car with her children and Zhao Wu in tears.
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