After dinner, Chen Shi's family did not go to work, but chatted with Chen Afu's family in the living room. Zhang took out two packages, some food for the eldest wife, and two sets of silk jackets for Old Lady Chen and Chen Ye.
Then, Zhang took out a brocade box from the bedroom and handed it to Chen Ahfu. Chen Ahfu didn't know what it meant, so he opened the brocade box and saw a twisted silver bracelet inside.
Zhang smiled and said, "This is my dowry, Ah Fu, please don't despise it."
Chen Ahfu quickly closed the box and returned it to her, saying, "I appreciate Third Aunt's kindness, but such a valuable and meaningful thing should be left to my cousins. I can't accept it."
Zhang said, "I still have some. When I got married, my parents knew that I didn't have much money, so they gave me some gifts."
Chen Ahfu still didn't want it. She had heard that Chen Shi had no money and had to rely on Zhang's selling of her dowry to buy the small courtyard where their family lived now.
The two of them pushed for a long time, and Zhang was almost in tears, before Chen Afu accepted it.
Chen Shi smiled and said, "Afu, just accept it. Thanks to your idea, my uncle's family has earned several months' worth of money in just a dozen days, and even got close to the steward of the General's Mansion. Even those rogues don't dare to mess with my family now. When my uncle has money in the future, he will move to a bigger house, and you will live comfortably here. When you get married, my uncle will give you gold jewelry."
Chen Afu thanked him with a smile.
Wang smiled again and said, "Mother-in-law, uncle, and I, the head of the family, all miss my uncle, so let your family return to Xiangluo Village for the New Year."
Chen Ahfu also smiled and said, "During the New Year, Uncle San and Aunt San can bring your brothers and sisters back to play. Just be careful and don't offend your aunt. Besides, my grandma will help you."
She spoke frankly and made everyone laugh.
Chen Shi also said that he missed his mother and elder brother, and would definitely go back when the time came, and would not let Hu Shi get in his way again. He had figured it out, and he had already paid back what he owed, and he could not stop paying respects to his mother just because of Hu Shi.
Chen Shi was much smarter than Chen Ming. The reason why Hu extorted so much money from him was that Hu was very nice to Chen Shi at first, but later she asked for too much money and things. Chen Shi couldn't break up with her, but he had to consider Chen Ye's face. Hu didn't like the sickly Chen Ming and had turned against him a long time ago. So Chen Ming knew her character and was poor, so he didn't do anything to her.
On the morning of the 23rd, Chen Ahfu got up at daybreak. When he came to the kitchen, Chen Shi and Zhang were already busy. They wanted to stew some things for Chen Ahfu to take away. Chen Ahyu also went out with two large buckets. He went to the restaurant to buy poultry offal instead of Chen Shi.
Chen Afu spoke to them for a few words and then soaked the dates.
Zhang smiled and said, "Ahfu is just very skillful. We use the same ingredients and methods, but ours just isn't as delicious as Ahfu's."
Chen Shi smiled and said, "They are all the same. There is no difference between master chef and junior chef."
Chen Afu smiled, washed up, went to the bathroom, locked the door, and went back into the space.
There was no sign of Jin Yanzi in the space, so she shouted towards the tree, "Jin Baoer, where are you?"
A little head popped out from a small round golden window among the branches and asked sleepily, "Mommy, why are you calling me so early?"
Chen Afu said he wanted some Yan Chenxiang residue to make sweet dates for Miss Chu.
After hearing this, Jin Yanzi came out of the Golden House, muttering, "What a tiring life! I can't even get a good night's sleep. Mommy, please remember my kindness and sing more songs for me in the future."
After saying that, the little pointed mouth yawned again and flew to Chen Afu's shoulder to rub his mouth.
As he wished, Chen Afu used a handkerchief to pick up a little bit of Yan Chenxiang residue and left the space.
Chen Shi and his wife braised a large pot of pork, pork ribs, soy products and lotus roots. They also cut them into three small bowls, one for them to eat on the way at noon, one for Tangyuan, and one for Chen's family.
After the hour of noon, Qing Bo came to pick them up. Chen Afu and his companions took Qiqi and Huihui to say goodbye to Chen Shi's family and went to Chu's house.
Six carriages were parked in the outer courtyard of the Chu Mansion, all of which were going to Tangyuan. Chen Ahfu handed two pots of braised food and a large pot of glutinous rice dates to Manager Luo who was packing up, and also told him that she wanted to stop in Laohuai Village to sign a lease agreement with the tenants there.
Manager Luo had heard Luo Fang talk about this a long time ago, and said that they also had to have lunch in Guanghe Town, which was not far from Laohuai Village, so they could just wait for them then.
Not long after, Chu Lingxuan came from the backyard holding Chu Hanyan and leading a few old women and maids. Chu Hanyan was holding a small swallow doll in her hand.
In ancient times, men rarely held children, let alone daughters. This Lord Chu held his daughter anytime and anywhere. He was really a daughter slave, a bit like the American coach Bei who loved his daughter like his life in his previous life.
Qiqi and Huihui were excited when they saw Chu Hanyan, and shouted at the top of their lungs, "Sister Yan'er, Sister Yan'er." Chen Dabao also called out, "Uncle Chu, Sister Yan'er."
Chu Lingxuan nodded slightly towards Dabao and Chen Afu, with the corners of his lips curled up.
Chu Hanyan stared blankly at Chen Dabao, Qiqi and Huihui, then slowly turned her eyes to Chen Afu.
Chen Ahfu's heart skipped a beat, and he silently said, "Don't let me hold you, please don't let me hold you..."
In the end, Chu Hanyan still reached out her hand to her, let out an "ah", and let her hug her.
Chu Lingxuan thought of the embarrassment at the beginning and whispered, "Girl, let daddy hold you."
Chu Hanyan's beautiful eyes immediately became misty, and her mouth pursed. She stared at Chen Afu blankly and said, "The bird... flew away, the bird... flew away, auntie..."
Chu Lingxuan didn't know why his daughter said "the birds have flown away" when she saw this woman, but he was very happy that his daughter could talk so much. Especially that she would take the initiative to greet her, be so close to her, and even call her "Auntie".
But when he saw his daughter crying, he felt heartbroken. He walked over and handed Chu Hanyan to Chen Afu.
Chen Ahfu's heart softened when he heard the soft voice of "Auntie". He reached out to take the child. Fortunately, the child was standing up instead of leaning sideways, and Yan Chenxiang was not in his arms.
Chu Hanyan entered Chen Afu's arms, hugged her neck, and pressed her little face and nose tightly against her shoulders.
Chen Ahfu just remembered that the spot on her shoulder was exactly where Jin Yanzi had rubbed her mouth that morning. She couldn't help but give the little girl a thumbs up in her heart, her little nose was really useful.
Chu Lingxuan was relieved to see that his daughter did not embarrass herself again, so he asked Chen Afu to take the two children to ride in the first carriage.
The woman's back was slender and graceful, she walked forward slowly, holding one child in her arms and dragging another. Yan Jie'er hugged her neck tightly, her whole face almost buried in her neck. Dabao pulled her skirt and looked up at her as they walked...
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