Chapter 35: Are we really done with the two?
After a while, Zhou Yishao came over, followed by Nanny Lou, holding a black lacquer tray covered with a red cloth.
Zhou Yishao hesitated for a long time, and finally, Madam Lou came forward and said to Shen Lianxiu, "Madam Shen, this is what my husband asked me to bring to you. Please accept it."
Chen Lianxiu was busy packing up. She just looked up and shook her head.
Zhou Yishao and Madam Lou exchanged a glance, and Zhou Yishao finally grabbed Shen Lianxiu's busy hand and said, "Listen to me, you still have to take what you should take, don't be angry."
As she spoke, she signaled Madam Lou to uncover the red cloth, revealing neatly stacked gold bars on the tray.
"Yes, Madam Shen, you should take it," Madam Lou also advised, "You know your husband's temper. If you don't take it, it will make things difficult for us."
Chen Lianxiu thought for a moment, then reached out and took three gold bars and put them away. "These are all I'll take. You can go and report back."
She didn't show anything on her face, but she felt uncomfortable in her heart. She didn't know whether to call it money for selling her body or money for breaking up. Well, she would take it and let him rest assured. From now on, they would be done with each other. The money and goods were settled, and she would not disturb him and Shen Wuyu again.
Once she left the Duke Cheng's Mansion, she would just throw the gold bars away.
Seeing that Chen Lianxiu took the three gold bars, Nanny Lou said nothing more and left with the black lacquer tray, leaving only Zhou Yishao here.
She didn't say anything, but just helped Shen Lianxiu pack up.
Chen Lianxiu didn't have much stuff, just a few daily clothes and a few pieces of jewelry in her dressing table. Zhou Yishao saw that there were only the things she often wore over and over again. He used to think that she was a simple person, but he never thought that she really had nothing to show off. Apart from that, there was only a small amount of silver coins. Zhou Yishao helped her put it into her purse, and secretly stuffed two gold rings he was wearing into it without letting Chen Lianxiu notice.
Zhou Yishao looked outside frequently, but never saw Zhou Linjin.
Zhou Yishao didn't look away until Chen Lianxiu had finished packing. He asked, "Do you really have these things? Where's your dowry?"
"The dowry is all in the warehouse," Chen Lianxiu didn't dislike or vent her anger on Zhou Yishao. She continued to speak normally and explained to her, "Those aren't mine. They will naturally take care of them."
Zhou Yishao was silent for a while, watching Chen Lianxiu carefully take out a box from the cabinet, then opened the box and checked it. There was a set of gold needles inside. She suddenly remembered that only two hours ago, Chen Lianxiu was still talking to her about treating Zhou Linjin's eyes. She didn't expect that the changes in the world would be so tragic and caught her off guard.
Chen Lianxiu put the golden needles back in place and left a book on the table, with no intention of putting it away. Zhou Yishao recognized the book as one she had just read. It was Chen Lianxiu's notes. She understood what was going on, but still asked, "Aren't you going to put it away?"
"It's useless. Madam, please help me throw it away." Shen Lianxiu said lightly while continuing to look through her things.
I've almost finished packing, there shouldn't be anything left behind, and I'll be able to leave soon.
Zhou Yishao took the notebook in his hand, feeling infinite regret in his heart. He tried to hold it back but couldn't help it. He pulled Shen Lianxiu and whispered, "No one will rush you to leave. You don't have to rush. Just pack your things slowly and stay at my place for a few days until Erlang... figures it out. Okay?"
Shen Lianxiu frowned and gently brushed Zhou Yishao's hand away.
"I'm his biological sister. He just didn't understand it right away. If you give him a few more days, he'll definitely change his mind. I'll also go and persuade him. You can't just leave like this. Don't leave yet, okay?"
Chen Lianxiu finally sighed, her tone still calm, and said: "If it were you, Madam, would you still stay here?"
Zhou Yishao opened his mouth but said nothing more.
Zhou Linjin is her younger brother, so she naturally speaks on Zhou Linjin's side and wants them to continue to be good friends. Although she also likes Shen Lianxiu, otherwise she would not try her best to keep her, but she did not put herself in Shen Lianxiu's shoes. No one could bear the cruel words Zhou Linjin said.
While she was stunned, Chen Lianxiu had already picked up her bag. Zhou Yishao came to his senses and quickly took off a pair of jade bracelets from his hands and stuffed them into Chen Lianxiu's hands.
"I know you won't accept it, but I don't have any other intentions. It's just that we have always been good friends. Now that you are leaving, I will give you a pair of jade bracelets as a souvenir." Zhou Yishao said.
Chen Lianxiu did not refuse. She took it and put it on her hand. She understood that Zhou Yishao saw that she was in a difficult situation and wanted to give her some money. In fact, she did not need Zhou Yishao's sympathy, but she did not want to reject Zhou Yishao's kindness.
"Thank you." She said to Zhou Yishao, and then hurriedly put the bracelet on her wrist.
"After you go home, take good care of yourself," Zhou Yishao paused, then continued, "You and Erlang...are you really not going to talk to each other anymore?"
Shen Lianxiu shook his head.
Zhou Linjin has always liked Shen Wuyu, but he also hates her for harming Shen Wuyu and deceiving him. There is nothing more to say between him and her.
She had nothing more to say to him.
It wasn't that he didn't believe her, but that all of this was fake, based on the lie that she was Shen Wuyu.
Shen Lianxiu picked up his two bags and left without looking back.
Zhou Yishao followed her and asked his maid to carry a bag for her and send her out.
At this time, most people in the Duke's Mansion already knew what happened today, and when they saw Chen Lianxiu, they all lowered their heads and pretended not to see anything.
Halfway through the journey, Zhou Yishao looked back and let out a soft "ah". He wanted to say something to Shen Lianxiu, but in the end he didn't say it.
The Shen family's carriage was already waiting at the gate of the Duke's Mansion. It was a blue cloth carriage with only an old woman in her fifties beside it. She didn't look like she was a servant, as her hands and feet were clumsy. The only other person was the coachman.
While Zhou Yishao was giving them instructions, Chen Lianxiu threw the three gold bars under the wall and no one noticed.
No matter what others say or think about her, she herself would not think of herself as someone who would just take the money and leave. Otherwise, what was she doing here for so many days? Was she really here to serve others?
Zhou Yishao watched Shen Lianxiu get on the carriage. Seeing that she was alone and only carrying two bags, he felt even more sorry for her.
She looked back again, but still didn't see the figure she had just seen halfway.
"Madam, please go back." After Chen Lianxiu sat in the carriage, she lifted the curtain and waved to Zhou Yishao.
The last ray of hope in Zhou Yishao's heart was finally shattered. He said goodbye to Shen Lianxiu and watched Shen Lianxiu's carriage leave.
The carriage rumbled forward. Chen Lianxiu didn't know what time it was. She only knew that it was probably past noon. She didn't feel hungry, but she felt confused.
This day came much earlier than she had imagined, and it came more hastily and awkwardly.
So what awaits her after returning to the Shen family?
Shen Lianxiu sat there for a long time before she remembered that she should have arrived at the Shen family long ago, but the carriage still didn't stop.
She lifted the curtain and took a look, and found that she had already left the city gate.
"Where are you sending me?" Shen Lianxiu hurriedly asked the old woman who was dozing off next to her.
The woman's surname was Song. When she heard her words, she woke up with a start, smacked her lips, and said, "Madam said she would send you to the countryside."
"The countryside?" Although Shen Lianxiu had never thought that she would have a good life after returning to the Shen family, she also didn't expect that Chen Shi would not even let her into the house and directly sent her away. "Is it Shouzhou?"
Mrs. Song shook her head: "It's not Shouzhou, it's the manor that Madam brought as a dowry. You'll know when you get there."
After she finished speaking, she closed her eyes and continued to sleep soundly.
Shen Lianxiu frowned and brought the two bundles closer to herself, placing them close to her.
After an unknown amount of time, the sun went down. The driver did not even bother to look for an inn or a guesthouse to stay in. Instead, he just found a place to shelter from the wind and rested there.
The food they ate was the dry food and water they brought with them, which had no taste. Even though Chen Lianxiu had been hungry for a day, she could only barely eat half a cake with cold water.
Then they went to bed. She and Mrs. Song slept in the carriage, while the coachman slept outside and kept watch at the same time.
Chen Lianxiu's eyes were closed, but she was wide awake. She was a little sad, and she should be sad, but her current situation did not allow her to continue thinking about those romantic things.
People must first survive.
She always felt something was wrong and didn't quite believe that Chen had simply sent her to the farm.
After about an incense stick of time, she heard Mrs. Song get up stealthily and go out. Because Shen Lianxiu had been motionless and her breathing was steady, Mrs. Song thought she was asleep.
After Mrs. Song left, Shen Lianxiu immediately sat up. The carriage was small, so she just leaned over slightly and reached the door.
Through the door curtain, she heard faint voices coming from outside.
"Have you received the deposit?" It was Nanny Song's voice.
"I got it, fifty taels, and there's another fifty taels left after the job is done," the driver replied in a low voice. "We agreed that you'd take four and I'd take six. I won't give you anything less."
Afterwards, Nanny Song seemed to mutter a few words, which were unclear. It seemed like she was complaining, but soon Nanny Song continued, "It's strange. One person can be sold for a full hundred taels. This is too much. How much does it cost to buy a little maid?"
Chen Lianxiu was startled, then heard the driver say, "Tsk, you haven't seen the world. How can this girl compare to an ordinary maid? If you sell her as a maid, she won't fetch much. But when you sell her, you have to tell people that she's the daughter of an official family in the capital. There are those who have enough money but want to try something new, and they're willing to spend the money."
It turned out that they wanted to sell her outright!
"Did you tell me when you'll pick me up?" Nanny Song yawned loudly and continued, "I'd rather hand him over sooner rather than later. It would be best if you could pick him up tomorrow so I can get the money and report back sooner."
The driver said, "You're stupid, but you still refuse to admit it. Madam wants you to accompany her to the farm first, and then secretly kill her in a few days, saying she died of illness. How fast can you go? If we go back too soon, and Madam finds out we didn't do what she said, we'll be doomed."
Chen Lianxiu's hands were on the car door frame, and her fingertips had turned white without her realizing it.
These two people wanted to sell her for money, but Chen really wanted her life and would not let her stay in the countryside peacefully.
She can't just sit there and wait for death!
At this time, Nanny Song said, "But there are other people in the village. What if they find out that we have sold people?"
"I've arranged everything. Just wait a few days. When we're almost at the farm, they'll come pick her up. That's about the right time. Then we can go back to the farm and say she died of illness on the way there. We'll just find a random place to bury her. No one will get suspicious."
"Then the lady..."
"Just say she caught a cold on the way and died before she even reached the village."
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
After the two of them finished discussing, they divided the fifty taels of silver they had already received. Seeing that Nanny Song was about to come in, Chen Lianxiu hurried back to lie down and pretended to be asleep.
After Nanny Song came back and went to bed, she soon started snoring.
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The author has something to say: I suddenly remembered that today is Qixi Festival, so I will update twice today, and there will be another update in the evening [rainbow fart]
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