As dawn approached, a thin layer of mist rose in the valley, enveloping the entire village like an inescapable gloom.
As soon as Shen Yuan pushed open the gate, the morning light pierced through the clouds and fell into the courtyard, shimmering with golden light on the thick haystack and bringing a touch of warmth.
"I'm so sleepy!" Shen Yuan yawned, hugging the box in her arms, and wanted to go back to her room to sleep.
Granny Liu stopped her, her gaze falling on the money box that Shen Yuan had just dug out of the muddy ground, and asked, "Yuan Yuan, what exactly happened last night?"
Shen Yuan knew she couldn't hide it from Granny Liu, after all, she was raised by Granny Liu, who was the only person in the world who understood her. So Shen Yuan told Granny Liu everything that happened last night.
After saying that, she looked at Granny Liu with some concern.
Will Granny Liu blame her for being too vicious?
After hearing Shen Yuan's words, Granny Liu did indeed put on a stern face. Upon seeing this, Shen Yuan immediately stood up obediently, like a child who had made a mistake, and secretly glanced at Granny Liu.
When Granny Liu saw that she didn't dare to look at her directly, but instead secretly glanced at her again and again, she couldn't help but laugh at her guilty appearance.
Seeing that Granny Liu was smiling, Shen Yuan quickly called out, "Granny, don't be angry anymore. I won't hide anything from you from you in the future!"
"You silly girl..." Granny Liu quickly straightened her face and became serious again. "You still want to play these kinds of tricks? You were lucky last night. Did you really think you could get away with it just because you buried the money and medicine dregs beforehand? It's because the scandals involving Zhao and the village head are too serious that the Chu family head didn't have time to deal with you. But if someone were to scrutinize it carefully, some of your words wouldn't stand up to scrutiny. You can't act so recklessly in the future. You should discuss everything with me before you do anything!"
Granny Liu's words revealed an undisguised worry.
Shen Yuan stood there, stunned.
Granny Liu didn't mean to blame her for using underhanded methods to harm people, but rather she was worried that her methods weren't clever enough and that she was afraid that her methods would be exposed and she would be hurt.
Her only worry was whether she could escape unscathed.
"Grandma!" Shen Yuan's eyes reddened, as if she couldn't believe it: "Grandma, you don't blame me for being ruthless, ruining the Zhao family, and harming the village head?"
"You said it yourself, they tried to harm you first. What kind of ruthlessness is this? You were just protecting yourself. As for that adulterous couple, they have only themselves to blame!"
Granny Liu grew angrier the more she thought about it, and couldn't help but curse, "I never thought Zhao Dayong was in cahoots with them! He tricked you into going into the mountains, probably already digging a trap for you to fall into! You even gave him medicine before, what a heartless bastard!"
Upon hearing Zhao Dayong's name, Shen Yuan's eyes darkened.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Granny Liu suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Yuanyuan, why do you suddenly hate the Chu family so much? What exactly happened when you came to the city this time? Did that Chu boy do something to wrong you?"
Shen Yuan shook her head. "I just suddenly realized that the person I like is weak, incompetent, hypocritical, and disgusting. He doesn't deserve my love, nor does he deserve all the effort I've put in over the years, so I want him and his family to pay me back everything they owe me!"
After thinking for a moment, Granny Liu nodded. "I understand."
She paused for a moment, then added, "I'll make you a bowl of egg noodles with perilla leaves. Eat it before you go to sleep, or you'll be hungry!"
"Okay!" Shen Yuan obediently agreed.
Before long, Granny Liu came out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of fragrant noodles. She placed the porcelain bowls on the wooden table in the courtyard. The hand-rolled noodles were of uniform thickness, topped with two golden fried eggs, and a handful of freshly picked perilla leaves from the vegetable garden. The bright green leaves lay on the eggs, their color enticing and their aroma filling the air.
Shen Yuan picked up the bowl of noodles, blew on it, and put it in her mouth. In no time, she finished the bowl of noodles.
After eating and drinking her fill, Shen Yuan went inside and slept until the next morning, a full twelve hours.
When she woke up, Shen Yuan felt refreshed and invigorated.
In both her past and present lives, this was the first time she had slept so well. Shen Yuan thought that everything was going in a positive direction after her rebirth, and every night from now on would be a good night's sleep.
She no longer needs to go to the city before dawn to sell medicinal herbs, nor does she need to stay in the mountains collecting herbs until the moon is high in the sky before being able to return home.
She no longer needs to devote herself to a man.
Shen Yuan got out of bed, planning to take Liu Mama into town to buy some new clothes for the two of them while the weather was nice today. Autumn was here, and the weather would soon get cold, so the new clothes needed to be made in advance.
The two boarded an oxcart at the village entrance and entered the city.
It was already afternoon when they arrived in Jian'an City. Shen Yuan went to the money exchange first, took out the hundred-tael silver notes, exchanged them for ten taels of silver in change, and deposited the rest.
After leaving the money exchange, Shen Yuan dragged Liu Mama around the city, browsing from shop to shop, and the two bought a lot of things.
Granny Liu was very distressed about the money, but seeing Shen Yuan so happy, she didn't want to spoil her good mood. She secretly made up her mind to take on more orders next month and save more money for her granddaughter.
After they finished shopping, it was already dark. Granny Liu urged, "Yuanyuan, we have to hurry up. If we stay any longer, the city gates will be locked, and we won't be able to get back."
"Grandma, let's not go back. Let's find an inn in town to stay tonight!" Shen Yuan said.
Granny Liu was stunned. "The cheapest room in the Jixiang Inn, even the lowest-class room, costs one tael of silver per night. How can we afford to stay in an inn?"
"It's just a tael of silver, Yuan Yuan has it!"
Shen Yuan pulled Granny Liu into the inn.
"Shopkeeper, I'd like a room with the character '地' in the name!" Shen Yuan took out a wad of silver and placed it on the counter.
Hearing the girl's sweet and cheerful voice, Chu Yuning, who was going downstairs, suddenly stopped. He looked up towards the source of the sound and saw a beautiful young girl wearing a peach-pink embroidered dress. Her long black hair was tied up in a bun, adorned with two silk flowers of the same color, making her even more lively and lovely.
Is this Shen Yuan?
How could she have changed so much in just a few days?
Where did you get this ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) from?
Didn't she always refuse to buy herself any clothes or silk flowers?
In Chu Yuning's memory, Shen Yuan always wore the same brown cloth robe with numerous patches, and her hair was always tied up with a strip of cloth. Why would she suddenly dress herself up?
As the saying goes, a woman dresses up for the man she loves. Did Shen Yuan know she would be coming to the Jixiang Inn tonight and deliberately dress up like this to see him? Did she realize her mistake and want to please him again?
Chu Yuning was immediately in a good mood, and all the unpleasantness from being humiliated by the innkeeper when she came to sell calligraphy and paintings disappeared. Chu Yuning lifted her leg and walked towards Chen Yuan.
As Chu Yuning approached Shen Yuan from behind, she suddenly stopped.
Last time, Shen Yuan caused a huge scene at Ziyun Academy, making him lose face. If he were to take the initiative to greet her like this, wouldn't it make him seem like he's easy to coax? Wouldn't that be too undignified?
Thinking this, Chu Yuning remained silent and turned to walk towards the inn's door.
He wanted Shen Yuan to know that he was truly angry! He would never forgive her so easily!
Unless she kneels down and begs him!
Unless she returns ten times the amount of the ten taels of silver she stole from him that day!
"Ouch! Yuanyuan, slow down!"
Suddenly, Liu Mama's exclamation rang out behind him. Chu Yuning, who had reached the entrance of the inn, raised the corners of his lips, feeling a little smug. He knew that Shen Yuan would definitely chase after him once she saw him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
