Chapter 86: Unkind Visitors
Fan Ru was inexplicably scolded. When she got home, she angrily slammed the wooden basin on the table, still cursing: "What kind of people are you? A bunch of troublemakers!"
Pei Yuanzhou looked calm and was drinking tea.
Li Yushi also heard the noise outside and said to comfort her, "Auntie, don't be angry with those people. It's not necessary."
Fan Ru snorted coldly: "It's all because of that troublemaker Chen Ning. She makes people restless wherever she goes."
Pei Yuanzhou put down his teacup and said calmly, "Mother, I have advised you a long time ago not to target Madam Shen anymore."
He said, "Back then, we were in the wrong for benefiting from her care, and it's only natural that people would talk about us. Why do you have to target her and try to cover up something?"
Fan Ru was furious: "I did it so that you could study with peace of mind!"
Pei Yuanzhou was somewhat helpless: "I know, but there are gains and losses. I don't blame you, I just hope you won't dwell on it anymore and let the past be the past."
Fan Ru snorted coldly and stopped talking. Beside her, Li Yushi glanced at Pei Yuanzhou and remained silent.
"I'm going to study first."
Pei Yuanzhou stood up and walked towards the study, which was close to the main door. Li Yushi also stood up and said, "Then I'll go back first."
As they walked together, Li Yushi asked, "Yuanzhou, you seem to be working extra hard lately. You don't even rest at home on weekends."
Pei Yuanzhou said gently, "With a powerful enemy nearby, we dare not slack off even a little bit."
Li Yushi was a little surprised: "The person you call a formidable rival...could it be Shen Qingbai?"
Pei Yuanzhou hummed, and spoke highly of Shen Qingbai: "He is talented and mature despite his young age. He will definitely be something special in the future."
Li Yushi sighed, "In just a few months, the Shen siblings seem to have been completely transformed."
In the past, she remembered that Shen Qingbai was just a sickly boy who had studied for a few days. But when she went to the county school to look for Pei Yuanzhou last time, she saw from afar that he had grown into a handsome and elegant young man.
Chen Ning didn't know that Fan Ru had been repeatedly scolded by people in Lindou Street these days. While she was counting the days waiting for Xu Zhiyi's reply, she was always on guard against the old lady of the Xu family.
As a result, the old lady arrived even faster than the imperial edict.
The Xu family's steward came to Huayingxue to drop off an invitation, saying that the old lady's birthday was coming up and that they wanted to order a batch of things from Huayingxue to give to relatives, friends, and younger generations, and asked Chen Ning to discuss it in person...
If she hadn't known it in advance, Shen Ning would definitely not have thought of anything else, but she already knew it.
She couldn't hide, and she didn't want to hide... Someone had hurt her time and again, and she wasn't going to tolerate it anymore. She had to get rid of that cancer.
So, Shen Ning accepted the invitation with a smile. The next day, she dressed elegantly and went to the Xu family with Qiyue.
The ancestors of the Xu family are of the same lineage as Lord Xu. Even though no one of them holds a high position now, they can still become a prominent family with the help of their ancestors.
In the past few days, Shen Ning treated Xu Zhiyi's injuries and had actually been in and out of the Xu family several times. However, every time she went through the side door directly to the yard where Xu Zhiyi lived, and never went through the main gate of the Xu family.
The gate of the Xu family was built with great momentum, and a pair of stone lions at the gate were baring their teeth and claws. When Shen Ning got off the carriage, a maid was waiting for her. She followed the maid into the gate and was greeted by a stone-carved landscape screen. Going left and around the corridor, she saw the Xu family's backyard.
The old lady naturally lived in the middle position, and there was an inscription on the gate of the courtyard: Xiangyun Courtyard.
As soon as I entered the yard, a maid came up to greet me with a smile: "Madam Shen is here... Look at her appearance, if you don't know her, you would think she is someone else's mistress. She is so majestic."
The old woman was very warm and polite to her. If she didn't know the inside story, Shen Ning would probably be flattered. But now she felt that under this smiling face were sharp teeth and claws that wanted to eat people.
The old lady was already waiting in the main hall, which was very polite and respectful considering Shen Ning's current status.
When Shen Ning entered the house, she saluted with an obedient yet somewhat apprehensive look: "This humble woman greets Old Madam Xu..."
"Please sit down quickly, and don't be polite."
The old lady smiled kindly: "I have heard that Madam Shen is quite talented and beautiful. Now that I see her, she is really lovely."
She asked Shen Ning to sit directly in front of her: "It's not easy for me to go out because of my inconvenient legs and feet. That's why I troubled Madam Shen to make a trip and bring me those rare items of yours."
"You are too polite, old lady. It is a blessing for the Shen family to have your favor. Xiaoqi, bring the things over."
July, who was following behind Shen Ning dressed as a maid, walked forward, put the heavy wooden box in her hand on the table, and then opened it.
Chen Ning introduced each item to the old lady: "Please look, old lady, this is soap, it is used for..."
The old lady naturally didn't have much patience. After listening to Shen Ning for a while, she seemed very satisfied and directly decided on the quantity.
Soaps, perfumes, creams and lipsticks have all been ordered. Since they are gifts from a wealthy family and are for the old lady's own birthday, the quantities will naturally not be too shabby.
After the order was finalized, July put the displayed samples back into the box, while the maid beside the old lady had already changed the tea.
At this time, the old nanny behind the old lady, who was obviously a confidant, smiled and said, "Look, madam, there are not many ladies as beautiful as Madam Shen in the whole Pingning. When I saw her just now, I thought she was the mistress of some family."
The old lady nodded, her smile revealing satisfaction: "She is beautiful, respectful and polite, and can be presented."
Chen Ning: Here it comes, the fox’s tail is about to show.
Sure enough, the old nanny's next sentence came: "A lady as beautiful and virtuous as Madam Shen deserves to live a life of luxury. It's a pity to worry about these trivial matters all day long. It's a waste of effort."
Before Shen Ning could reply, the old nanny seemed to suddenly remember something: "While talking about this, this old slave suddenly remembered something, but I don't know whether I should tell you or not."
The old lady glanced at her and said, "Who can stop you from talking?"
The old nanny smiled and said, "I was thinking that the young master has been feeling lost and sad since his wife's death. Now he is alone, and there is no mistress to manage the huge mansion... Madam Shen is a good hand at both the house and outside. With her demeanor, she is destined to be a mistress."
The old nanny gently patted the old lady's shoulders and begged with a smile: "How about, please have mercy on Madam Shen and find her a good marriage..."
"You're the only one who talks too much."
The old lady seemed to be scolding the nanny, but in fact her tone was smiling.
After a pause, he said to Shen Ning as if he had suddenly remembered something: "Now that you mention it, I remember that my nephew from my mother's family lost his wife last year. He was a kind and loving man and never wanted to remarry. He insisted on mourning for a whole year. Now that the mourning period is over, it's time to find a mistress to take charge of the family."
The old lady took Shen Ning's hand and patted it: "The Huang family is a wealthy family, and Yaozu is also a good child. When I saw Madam Shen, I felt like we were old friends. I guess this is destined to be our fate."
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