Chapter 25 Believe me, the setting sun's rays filtered through the sparse branches...
The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the sparse branches and leaves, casting dappled patterns on the compacted earthen path. Almost two years after leaving my hometown, this path leading to Shen Tieniu's house was still clearly visible, not covered by weeds.
She called out from the doorway, "Brother Tie Niu!" Soon, Shen Tie Niu opened the door and exclaimed happily, "Sister Yun Rong, what brings you here!"
"I came to see my aunt. This is a century-old ginseng, to help her recover."
"It's so valuable, it should be left for your aunt to use," Shen Tieniu hurriedly declined.
“My mother ate a few, and that’s how she survived. The doctor said the rest doesn’t need to be eaten anymore; give them to my aunt to help her recover.” Shen Yunrong entered the house and placed the ginseng on the table.
"Tie Niu, who's here?" an old woman's voice rang out from inside the house.
Shen Yunrong spoke first: "Don't you recognize my voice, Auntie?"
"It's Rong girl, you're back!" The old woman's voice grew louder and louder as Shen Tieniu's mother came out, leaning on two wooden sticks.
"Mother, why are you out again? Be careful not to fall again!" Shen Tieniu hurriedly stepped forward to help his mother.
Shen Yunrong was only returning the gift of wild boar meat; after a few pleasantries, she took her leave.
As I approached my doorstep, I realized I hadn't told them about the dietary restrictions after eating ginseng, so I quickly turned around and went back.
Upon arriving at Shen Tieniu's house, his mother's voice was sharp and cutting: "That slut, she's been played with so many times that she's given birth to a bastard child. Don't be foolish enough to fall for that kind of woman, she's filthy!"
With a loud spitting sound, Shen Yunrong froze from head to toe. She knew the villagers would gossip about her, but she never expected them to say such nasty things.
She had no idea that the man who had just been holding her hand and calling her a good girl was now gritting his teeth and cursing her for being unfaithful.
Shen Yunrong turned away; she didn't want to listen anymore. She had never intended to remarry, so she didn't know why her aunt, whom she regarded as an elder, would see her this way.
And how could Ruoyu be a bastard? She has parents!
As she left, she stepped on a dry branch, the crisp sound drawing Shen Tieniu out of the house. Seeing her back, he knew she had heard everything his mother had said. His heart pounded with panic, and he rushed forward.
"Sister Yunrong, don't take my mother's words to heart. You are a good girl!"
With his long legs, Shen Tieniu caught up with her in just a few steps.
Shen Yunrong stopped in her tracks and turned around abruptly: "Brother Tie Niu, your mother is right. I am already a woman who has given birth to children. I am not good enough for you. You don't need to send meat anymore!"
"Sister Yunrong, my feelings for you have never changed!" Shen Tieniu hurriedly reached out to grab her hand.
Shen Yunrong took a step back to avoid it: "Brother Tie Niu, what we did before was just a joke between adults. I have my own children, and you will also get married and have children in the future!"
"I will treat the child as my own!" Shen Tieniu patted his chest and promised.
"She has a father!" Shen Yunrong rarely fell out with anyone, but this time she had to make this honest man give up: "Even if I didn't have a daughter, I still wouldn't like you!"
Shen Tieniu stared wide-eyed in shock. He had always thought that after so long, she would know his feelings.
Shen Yunrong couldn't stand his gaze. She had never said anything to him before and had always regarded him as an older brother since childhood. Sometimes her mother would say that she would marry him when she grew up, and she was always confused. As long as her mother said it, it didn't matter who she married.
"Are you saying this because my mother said it to you?" Shen Tieniu looked at her with hurt in his eyes.
"Brother Tie Niu, I've always considered you my older brother. Auntie is right, I'm not good enough for you, but my daughter has a father, she's not a bastard!"
After saying that she didn't want to talk to him anymore, Shen Yunrong said that she only returned to the village to make her mother more comfortable, and she could tolerate these rumors.
"My mother is senile, please don't take it to heart!"
Upon hearing Shen Tieniu's words, Shen Yunrong felt that she had made the right decision not to marry him. He so viciously scorned her, and she casually dismissed him as an old senile fool.
"No, the child is waiting for me, I'll go back first!" Qie Shen Yunrong had already said this much, even if her mother wouldn't say that to her, she wouldn't have anything to do with Shen Tieniu.
When she got home, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Afraid that her mother would notice, she stood at the door for a long time until it was almost dark before wiping away her tears, forcing a smile, and going inside.
Upon entering, Zhao Linzhang, who was supposed to arrive the next day, sat in the main room, holding his daughter. Both of them stared at her as she entered.
"Your Highness!" Shen Yunrong exclaimed in surprise.
"Who bullied you!" Zhao Linzhang stood up, holding his daughter. The moment he saw her, he noticed her red eyes.
These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, and Shen Yunrong couldn't hide her emotions for a moment: "Ruoyu isn't a bastard, Your Highness, you will treat her well in the future, right?"
"Who said that? Ruoyu is our daughter!" Zhao Linzhang's temper flared up instantly. Who said his child was a bastard!
"How could their child be a bastard? She has a father and mother!" Shen Yunrong's tears fell in strings.
"Ruoyu is my darling, and so are you, don't cry!" Zhao Linzhang was bad at comforting others, and he hurriedly tried to wipe away her tears!
“I’ll accept whatever you say to me, but Ruoyu has done nothing wrong, she’s still so young!” Shen Yunrong’s pent-up grievances finally burst forth like a flood.
"Don't cry, I'm here. I will give you and your daughter justice!" Zhao Linzhang wiped away her tears with his fingertips.
Shen Yunrong felt as if all her strength had been drained from her body. She leaned against Zhao Linzhang's chest, crying as she punched him, "It's all your fault!"
Zhao Linzhang let her hit him with heartache: "Yes, it's all my fault!"
After crying for a while, Shen Yunrong realized she was being unreasonable. Embarrassed, she raised her swollen eyes and pushed Zhao Linzhang away, saying, "Your Highness, I have overstepped my bounds!"
"Yunrong, believe me, I will marry you!" Zhao Linzhang didn't know how to express his true feelings. He had always wanted to have a proper talk with her, but he never had the right opportunity.
"Your Highness, if only you weren't a prince!" Shen Yunrong said hesitantly. Even if he was a poor scholar like her father, she was not afraid of hardship or poverty. What she feared most was being a servant for the rest of her life, especially a servant to her husband and his legal wife.
"There will be a way, trust me!" Zhao Linzhang never said anything without being 100% certain.
"I just suddenly acted crazy, Your Highness, please just take it as me talking nonsense!" Shen Yunrong didn't want to think about anything else now, she just wanted to spend every day with her daughter.
"What do you want me to do to make you believe me!" Zhao Linzhang wished he could lay bare his heart and let her see that he was truly in love.
So this is what it feels like to be in love; her every smile and frown affects his joy and sorrow.
"I believe you! It's getting late, Your Highness should go back!" Shen Yunrong didn't continue the conversation with him. He was just having a new idea, but she was already a mother, not a little girl anymore!
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