Chen Ahfu smiled and handed the small glass mirror to Wang, saying, "Look, you look much younger, like a young wife under 30."
Wang in the mirror was indeed much younger and more delicate. Although not as exaggerated as Chen Ahfu said, she didn't look as old as before.
She couldn't help but blush when she heard this, and said angrily, "What nonsense! I'm an old woman now, what's the point of being a young wife?"
As the two were talking, they heard old man Zeng in the yard shouting, "Miss, Madam, Master Chen is here."
Ever since Chen Ahfu and Chu Lingxuan got engaged, the servants started addressing Chen Ming and his wife differently: Master Chen Ming and Madam Wang.
Why did he come here suddenly?
Chen Afu looked at Wang and quickly got up and went out to greet her.
Chen Shiying had already entered the yard. He had come directly from Wangshan Village by horse carriage, still wearing his official uniform and hat. Having been exposed to the sun for most of the day, his face was as red as if he had put on rouge.
He smiled and said, "Fuer, Daddy will come to your place to stay for one night and will go back to Dingzhou Prefecture early tomorrow morning." Just as he finished speaking, he saw Wang following him out.
Wang Shi at this moment was obviously different from the last time he saw her. Last time, she looked very old, and the hardships of life carved into her face made him sad. But this time, she looked much younger than last time. Although she was much older than a decade ago, her delicate eyebrows and gentle temperament still made him dazed for a moment. He seemed to see the sister who picked him up from school every day many years ago...
That scene appeared in front of his eyes: a boy with a long haircut came back to his house, grinning and calling out to his sister who had been waiting for him at the door after school, "Sister, sister, I'm back."
The elder sister smiled with her eyebrows curved, "Brother Ying is back."
She walked down the steps, led him into the kitchen, washed his face and hands, and asked him if he was hungry. Every time, without waiting for his answer, she smiled and stuffed a piece of rock candy or fried peas or broad beans into his mouth. She also asked him, "Is it sweet (fragrant)?"
The boy replied, "Sweet."
His sister would smile and pinch his little face. He still remembers the warmth and smoothness of her face.
Chen Shiying's nose felt a little sour, and he shouted, "Sister."
Wang looked at him twice, clenched her hands so hard that veins bulged, lowered her head and said softly, "Brother Ying, you're here."
"Yeah." Chen Shiying replied, his eyes always looking at Wang.
Seeing them like this, Chen Ahfu felt embarrassed for them. He said, "Dad, Mom, let's go inside and talk."
"Okay." Chen Shiying walked into the house.
Wang at the door did not enter the house, and whispered, "Afu, I'm going home first."
Chen Shiying, who had already walked into the house, turned back and asked, "Sis, it's a rare opportunity for my brother to come over, can't you just talk to me?"
Wang lowered her head and said, "No, my boss is still at home waiting for me to come back and cook..." After she said this, she remembered that Chen Ming had gone to the grain store in the county town and had not returned yet, so she changed her words, "I'll prepare dinner and wait for my boss to come back. Brother Ying, have fun at your daughter's house, don't be polite." After that, she left in a hurry.
Chen Shiying stared blankly at Wang's background as she disappeared outside the gate, looking dejected.
Although Chen Afu sympathized with their situation, now that they were separated and had their own families, it was better for him to keep that thought in his heart.
She pulled Chen Shiying's sleeve and said, "Dad, are you thirsty? I'll go get you a bowl of osmanthus honey. I made it myself."
Chen Shiying came back to his senses, smiled and said, "Okay." Although he prefers drinking tea, he is still willing to try the osmanthus honey made by his daughter.
Chen Ahfu poured him a bowl of honey water in a white porcelain bowl. It was light golden in color and had a few small osmanthus petals floating on it. It looked delicious. He took a sip and his mouth was filled with fragrance.
He drank the honey water in a few gulps and asked with an awkward smile, "Will Fu'er laugh at Daddy?"
Chen Ahfu shook his head and said, "No."
Chen Shiying sighed again and said, "It might be a good thing for your mother that she didn't marry me. I was afraid that I would wrong her and make her sad..." After thinking for a while, he muttered, "Perhaps, if I marry your mother, I won't be willing to wrong her."
The latter sentence was spoken so softly that Chen Afu could not hear it clearly.
"What did Dad say? What grievances did he suffer?" Chen Afu asked.
Chen Shiying waved his hand, pushed the bowl aside and said, "Dad likes to drink this kind of sweet soup. Fu'er, pour another bowl for Dad."
What he couldn't tell his daughter was that Aunt Tang died of an epidemic on the farm last month, and a few days ago, the virtuous Jiang took him a sixteen-year-old concubine...
Chen Afu was chatting with Chen Shiying when they heard a noise coming from Lu Garden.
Chen Ahfu went out and said to Old Man Zeng, "Let's go see what's going on at Luyuan."
Old man Zeng agreed to go out, and after a while he ran back to report, "My dear young lady, your stepmother and brother from your natal family brought your father here, saying that your father is seriously ill, and their family has no money, so they had to carry him to your home, asking you to give money for his treatment for the sake of your father..."
Chen Ahfu was afraid that Wang would suffer a loss, so he stood up and said to Chen Shiying, "I'll go over and take a look."
Although it is the busy farming season, there are still some people gathered at the gate of Luyuan to watch the fun.
Xue Dagui and Shanzi pushed the onlookers away, and Chen Afu walked in. They saw Old Man Wang lying on the ground, Mrs. Ding kneeling beside him and crying loudly, and Wang Cai complaining to Mrs. Wang. The gist of it was that they had no money now and no other way. If they delayed any further, Old Man Wang would die, so they had to push him to his daughter's house to ask for some money to continue his treatment...
Wang stood there at a loss. She didn't want to let this black-hearted mother and son enter her house. Since she knew that little Wang Cheng had suffered so much and still didn't know whether to live or die, she hated Ding even more and was angry at her father's ruthlessness. But Old Man Wang was lying in the yard and making noises, and there were some people watching outside the door. She didn't know what to do. She was afraid that her father was really sick, and she was also afraid that the three of them were acting together. She didn't want to give money to the evil-minded Ding.
In ancient times, filial piety was the most important thing. Although Chen Afu hated Ding and Wang Cai to death, Old Man Wang had to take care of them, otherwise Wang would be drowned in his saliva.
She walked up to them with a sullen face and said, "My mother doesn't ignore him, why are you crying?" She then said loudly to Old Man Zeng, "Go to the village and ask Doctor Lin to come over." She gave him a wink, and Old Man Zeng nodded in understanding and hurried out.
Xue Dagui and Shanzi carried Old Man Wang to a reclining chair in the corridor and gave him some water.
Wang Cai said, "After walking such a long way, my mother and I are thirsty. Pour us a bowl of water."
Xue Dagui and others pretended not to hear.
Aunt Zeng went out and told the people at the door how Ding had sold Wang and Wang's brother, causing her brother to be abused by the buyer and his life or death was unknown until now...
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