Zhou Zheng was quick-witted and immediately understood that this was a gift from his niece to them.
"Grandpa, this is homemade braised meat from my second uncle's house. Please take it back as a snack with your drinks, and also let my eldest and third uncles try it."
The two men were about to refuse, but Shen Danru said, "Grandpa, Second Uncle, please don't be so polite with me, otherwise I'll deliver it myself."
Grandpa Zhou was overjoyed, his heart filled with happiness. He never expected that they would enjoy the blessings of their granddaughter instead of their daughter.
"Since it's a gift from my granddaughter, I'll accept it. When I get back, I'll call my old friends over and let them have a taste too."
"I think you're not trying to let them taste the braised food, but rather to show off to them."
Tan couldn't help but say.
Grandpa Zhou chuckled.
They used to be the ones showing off, but this time it's finally his turn.
After seeing off her maternal grandfather and second uncle, Madam Tan couldn't help but pull Shen Danru aside to talk again. She also asked about Qingtan and learned that she had once been Shen Danru's maid. Now that her mistress was in trouble, she resolutely followed her away from the Marquis's mansion, which made her impression on her even better.
When Shen Xiaohua was little, Madam Tan met her twice. Knowing that she had been sold by Madam Chen, she was so angry that she wanted to curse.
The Zhou family nearly starved to death during a famine, yet they never considered selling their children. She simply couldn't understand how her own blood relatives could be so heartless.
After resting for a while in the afternoon, everyone went out together to tidy up the new house.
Shen Danru thought she should clean up first, and then buy some daily necessities tomorrow so that her maternal grandfather and uncles would have a place to stay when they came.
The journey from Ningzhou to Shangqing Village is not short; even by horse-drawn carriage, it would take more than two hours, so they definitely wouldn't make it in time that day.
Shen Danru told Tan Shi to rest, as she must be exhausted from walking to Shangqing Village on her own two legs, but Tan Shi refused. She patted her body, indicating that she was very healthy and that walking such a short distance was nothing.
At this moment, Aunt Zhang and her friends arrived, along with Shen Dashan, Xu Shu, and Zhao Yong, who brought their wives to help.
After that day, Aunt Zhang never dared to see Zhou Shi and Shen Danru.
Feeling guilty and uneasy, I couldn't eat or sleep well every day.
She regretted not helping Zhou Meizi's family that day. Even if no one was willing to take the risk, she couldn't back down.
The Zhou family treated her so well, yet she watched helplessly as they fell into danger and hid away, feeling increasingly guilty.
If she could do it all over again, she would stand with Zhou Meizi even if it cost her half her life.
As soon as Aunt Zhang appeared in the new house, Shen Danru was startled. She hadn't seen her for only a few days, but Aunt Zhang looked several years older.
She went into the house and immediately started working without saying a word. Shen Danru called her several times, but she didn't hear him.
Shen Danru had no choice but to step forward and tug at her: "Aunt Zhang, Aunt Zhang."
Aunt Zhang was suddenly startled and said in a daze, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Aunt Zhang, what's wrong? Are you sick?"
Aunt Zhang then realized what was happening. When she looked up and saw Shen Danru standing next to her, she became even more flustered.
“Aunt Zhang, if you have any difficulties, just tell me, and I will help you if I can.”
When Aunt Zhang heard Shen Danru say this, the shame in her eyes became even more undisguised.
“Children, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t help you that day. I watched your parents get hurt while I hid away.”
Upon hearing Aunt Zhang's words, Shen Danru immediately understood that Aunt Zhang was referring to the incident that day when Sun Zhong and Sun Shi brought people to cause trouble.
It turns out that Aunt Zhang was blaming herself for what happened that day.
She understood Aunt Zhang very well. She had a family to support and couldn't afford to offend those thugs, so hiding away was only natural.
Besides, she doesn't know kung fu, so if she goes out, she'll only get beaten up.
“Auntie, those people came from the martial arts school in town. It’s good that you’re hiding. If you run out and can’t beat them, then we’ll have to be distracted protecting you. Besides, this has nothing to do with me, so you don’t need to blame yourself.”
Aunt Zhang asked cautiously, "You don't blame your aunt?"
Shen Danru shook her head: "This has nothing to do with your aunt, so how can you blame her?"
"Once the workshop is set up, will you still let me be the manager?"
Shen Danru smiled and said, "I'll have to trouble Aunt Ma to take care of things from now on."
Aunt Zhang's brow twitched slightly, then she quickly smiled and became even more efficient at her work.
They cleaned until evening, and the whole family was exhausted. Qingtan came back, ate a quick meal, and then prepared to rest.
There are still many things to buy tomorrow, and many things for the banquet haven't been prepared yet. I'm going to be busy.
Shen Cheng went to sleep in Shen Yuyan's room so that he could leave his room to have a private chat with his wife and mother-in-law.
As the night grew quiet and the Shen family members were all asleep, a figure timidly appeared outside the wall, carrying a bundle of dry grass. The figure came to the back of the Shen family's house and laid it out in a row.
After doing this several times, the back of the house was filled with dry grass. He took out a flint and lit the dry grass.
Since it hadn't rained after the New Year and the weather was quite dry, the fire ignited quickly.
Seeing the fire growing bigger and bigger, he chuckled, his laughter sinister: "Chen Danru, you'd better die, you'd better die."
The man, who was already blind in one eye, looked even more ferocious and terrifying in the darkness of the night, like a demon from hell.
"Host, someone has set a fire. Wake up! Wake up!"
Chen Danru suddenly became alert and was startled to see that there was indeed a fire outside.
Qingtan had practiced martial arts since childhood. Before Shen Danru could even speak, she had already woken up. Just as she was about to call Shen Danru, she saw that she had already sat up, so she called out to Shen Xiaohua instead.
"Qingtan, hurry, Father, Mother, Yuyan and Grandma."
Qingtan threw on her clothes and ran outside. Shen Danru woke up Shen Xiaohua, who was still drowsy. Shen Danru pinched her leg twice, and she immediately woke up. She was startled to see flames shooting up outside.
Springtime is relatively dry, and the fire quickly spread to the roof, instantly illuminating the merciless night.
Qingtan went to Zhou's room first, since Zhou and her grandmother slept in the middle room, and that room was the first to be set on fire.
They had already choked and passed out. Without saying a word, Qingtan picked one of them up and carried them outside.
Just as Shen Danru was about to push open the door to the room where Shen Yuyan and her father were sleeping, she saw the two of them coughing and running out.
"Dad, are you alright?"
Shen Danru patted his back to help him catch his breath: "I'm fine. Come on, has your mother come out yet?"
"Qingtan went to her mother's room first; they should have come out earlier than you."
As soon as she finished speaking, a corner of the house collapsed, and at the same time, Qingtan's voice came: "Miss, something bad has happened, Madam and Grandma have fainted."
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