Chapter 26: Full of Banknotes
Chen Qi had no idea what Second Aunt was planning. As soon as she walked into the yard, she asked loudly, "Is Second Aunt home?"
When Feng heard the voice of her niece's wife, she waved her hand and told her uncle to be quiet. She closed the door and lifted the curtain to go out.
"Hey, niece-in-law, you're back? Is your mother-in-law in good health? Why don't you stay for a few more days?"
"My parents are in good health and asked me to bring you and my second uncle good health. This time, they asked me to bring you some things. This is tea for my second uncle, some perfume, and some cloth. These things are not worth much, but a little gift for you, your sister, and your sister-in-law to keep for making shoes."
When Feng saw the things in Chen Qi's hand, she hurriedly took them and said a few polite words. Then Chen Qi said goodbye and left.
As soon as Chen Qi left, Feng went to the inner room and looked at it carefully with her second uncle.
"This tea is good. It comes from the south. I've seen people drinking it." The second uncle opened the tea can and spoke with appreciation.
"What good could a gift from a humble family possibly be? You're not interested in this. You're such a loser."
Second Aunt glared at him, and Second Uncle immediately wilted.
Feng went to look at the fabrics again.
"This cloth is indeed good. Wouldn't it be a waste to use it to make shoes? This, I'll make a skirt for the maid, and that, I'll make a coat for myself. As for the rest, when the weather gets cold, I'll use it as a lining for you, and make you some padded jackets."
"Then... not for my daughter-in-law?"
"Humph, does she still care about these things? Her family owns a shop and is wealthy, no worse than our Xie family. If she wants it, she can go ask her family for it."
After saying this, Feng put the things in her own cabinet, took the box of perfume, put it in her sleeve, and prepared to give it to her daughter.
She had not intended to let Sun know that Chen Qi had sent something, but when she reached her daughter-in-law's window, Feng couldn't help but speak in a loud voice.
"Look, even though they're from a small family, they still have their own advantages. They're really considerate! Apart from anything else, they care about their elders! When they visit their parents, they don't forget to bring gifts for them. They're much better than the girls from the wealthy families in the county town!"
Mrs. Sun was sulking because her husband had not returned home all night. At this moment, she clearly heard her mother-in-law being harsh on her. She was so angry that her ribs ached slightly. However, she was too lazy to argue with her, so she just walked up to her and slammed the window shut in front of her mother-in-law.
At this time, Xie Yujin, who lived in the west wing, saw that Chen Qi had left long ago and her mother was still praising her in the yard, so she started yelling through the window.
"Mom, you still have the mood to praise her? If it weren't for her, why would I have to go shopping with you so early in the morning? Yesterday, because I didn't go shopping with you, that old man in the backyard scolded me severely. And tomorrow I have to get up early! I can't even get up!
After hearing this, Second Aunt quickly walked to her daughter's window and coaxed her.
"Don't worry, I'll go talk to that old man and tell him it's getting cold, so you won't be going next month! Just bear with it for a few days, buy some groceries, and then come back to catch up on some sleep."
Xie Yujin was inside smashing a comb and throwing a bronze mirror, and was in a bad mood.
"If I don't sleep well, how can I look good? If I look bad, how can I look like a daughter of a wealthy family? From now on, I won't be able to marry into a wealthy family, I won't even be able to marry into a good family in Pingshan County!"
Second Aunt panicked and hurried to comfort her daughter.
"How could that be! A few days ago, a matchmaker sent me a message saying that the second son of the owner of the silk shop on East Street is looking for a date. Didn't you meet during the incense-burning ceremony two years ago? He's probably interested in you!"
Xie Yujin just didn't want to listen. After hearing this, he was so angry that he slammed the table.
"What a crap silk shop! My brother said a few days ago that his family is getting worse and worse! They don't even have many pieces of silk left. I'm afraid they're about to become a cotton shop. They're even worse than the rice shop across the street run by my mother's family!"
She raised her chin and gave her mother an order.
"Go tell people I don't want to meet people from the county town. They're not up to par. If you want to meet someone, go meet people from the provincial capital. Just like the eldest sister from the East Courtyard, didn't she marry into the He family in the provincial capital?"
Second Aunt hurried into her daughter's room and lowered her voice.
"My son, I've told you long ago that things are different now! The eldest girl from the east was betrothed to the He family when the old man was still alive. At that time, our family was very wealthy! This marriage was actually arranged by the He family!"
Having said that, Feng sat down and sighed.
"But once the old man died, your father and his two brothers couldn't support the family. By the time your elder brother and the second son came of age, they were like blind men playing shuttlecock—each one worse than the last. On the other hand, the He family, for some unknown reason, got lucky and moved to the provincial capital.
Don't worry, look, even the wild girls in town can enter our house. Then I will find a way to find you a family in the provincial capital, it's not difficult, just wait and see!"
Feng persuaded Yu Jin for a long time, and then she saw a gift box in her sleeve. She took it and opened it, and found that it was a box of cold-repelling incense.
Yu Jin opened the box right away, and the liquid all fell into the large water vat outside the window. She then threw the box to the ground and stomped on it until it broke into pieces, only then did she feel better.
Seeing her daughter like this, Second Aunt felt sorry for the things and was angry, but she couldn't show it, so she swallowed her anger and went back.
The one who was happiest when she knew Chen Qi had returned home was Xiao Yujing.
When Chen Qi returned to the East Courtyard, Yu Jing took her and her sister Yu Zhong to her room and talked for a long time.
Chen Qi discovered that while they were talking, the little maid Chun Liu was secretly looking at them from outside the window. When she looked over, she ran away like the wind.
After a while, he came over to peek again.
Chen Qi then asked Yu Jing in a low voice why Chun Liu always looked at her secretly and ignored her.
The jade mirror smiled and whispered, "Because you are so beautiful, she thinks you are a fairy, so she is too shy."
After hearing this, Chen Qi smiled, went back to her room, took out two handkerchiefs with flowers, and gave them to Chun Liu.
"You've been taking care of my house for a long time. Today's gift is for everyone to share. This is my new handkerchief. I haven't used it yet. Do you like it?"
When Chunliu saw the fairy-like Second Wife coming to talk to her in person, she was so embarrassed that she almost dropped her broom and ran away. She blushed for a long time before she reluctantly accepted it.
Chen Qi was afraid that she would think too much, so she chatted with her about some casual things. After they became a little more familiar with each other, Chun Liu stopped blushing.
At night, Xie Yuduo returned to his room carrying a lunch box.
Chen Qi had already washed and was combing her hair in her casual clothes facing the window. When she saw him come back, she asked, "What's this delicious?"
Xie Yuduo placed the food box on the dressing table and chuckled, "Open it and take a look."
Chen Qi opened the lid carelessly, and it dropped to the ground with a snap.
Silver bills, pile upon pile, full to the brim, all silver bills.
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