Chapter 281 The Gift from Wan Ziyan
The mule cart traveled along the dirt road.
Along both sides of the road, there was still unmelted white snow mixed with yellow muddy water, making it impossible to discern its original color.
The mule cart was not as fast as the horse cart, and the fact that it was loaded with goods made it even slower!
The group wasn't in a hurry, so they chatted as the mule cart moved along, and Wan Ziyan took the opportunity to enjoy the scenery along the way.
Chen Yongliang knew that Wan Ziyan had never seen such a view before, so he explained to him and described the appearance of Lianhua Village clearly, fearing that the other party would be greatly disappointed when he arrived.
When he first met Wan Ziyan, he was immediately drawn to the grandeur of the Wan family mansion.
Even now, he still feels that Wan Ziyan should live in a big house and lead a wealthy life. He has never seen the poverty in the mountain village and does not like the life in the mountain village.
In fact, Wan Ziyan had followed Master Wan for many years, so what hadn't he seen?
Refugees from various disasters, post-war cities, and countless displaced people...
It was precisely because Wan Ziyan had seen so much that he was so determined to pursue the imperial examinations, wanting to speak out for the people and make their lives better.
The higher the expectations were back then, the greater the disappointment is now.
Having witnessed the collusion and abuse of power among officials, he no longer yearns for such things.
Soon, the mule cart arrived at the village entrance.
It was already past 3:45 PM, and most of the villagers who had been out working were rushing back home to prepare dinner.
Apart from the Chen family where Wan Qiqi lives, almost everyone in the village eats one meal at eight or nine in the morning and another at four or five in the afternoon.
It was around four o'clock in the afternoon, and the villagers were rushing to finish their chores before dark so they could go to bed and save money on oil lamps.
The mule carts made quite a spectacle, attracting the attention of many villagers.
Upon seeing who was sitting in the car, the villagers all smiled.
"Yongnian, Yongnian's wife, you're back!"
"I've bought so many New Year's goods, I'm going to have a great New Year!"
"Your second son's wife looks like she's about to give birth, right? Have you hired a midwife yet? My neighbor, Granny Zhang, has delivered babies for many families. If you need one, you can let us know in advance!"
Villagers came one after another to greet Chen Yongnian and Wan Qiqi, and the scene suddenly became lively.
The mule cart traveled even slower than a person could walk.
Wan Ziyan sat beside the mule cart, watching quietly.
"Oh my, whose young man is this? He's so handsome. Is he married?"
Upon hearing this, Wan Qiqi was afraid that the villagers would be too enthusiastic and actually send a girl to the Chen family, so she quickly said, "This is my second brother, and he already has someone he likes."
The man chuckled twice upon hearing this, then said nothing more.
At the same time, many people, upon hearing Wan Qiqi's introduction and recognizing who was riding in the mule cart, did not look as pleased as before.
But there are still people who don't mind so much.
"This is Master Wan! What an honor to meet Master Wan!"
"Master Wan, how many days are you planning to stay? Could you help me see if my child has any talent for studying?"
“Master Wan, I would like to send my child to the academy, but as you know, the tuition fees are very high these days. Could you please talk to the academy and ask them to let us pay the tuition later?”
Women, all eager to get their children into school, swarmed around Wan Qiqi, startling her so much that she immediately told Chen Yongnian to drive the mule cart home.
She was used to the villagers watching and gossiping, but Wan Ziyan wasn't!
We finally managed to persuade them to come home for the New Year, so we can't let them scare us away before they even get there!
The Chen family had heard the commotion at the village entrance long ago.
Wang Zhi stood at the door with Pingping, An'an, and the little monkey, ready to welcome Wan Qiqi and the others home.
The most important thing is to welcome the guests.
The mule cart drove into the Chen family's house.
Chen Yongliang and Chen Yongnian were the first to jump off the mule cart and greet Wang Zhi, followed by Wan Qiqi.
Wan Ziyan finally got off the mule cart and stopped in front of Wang Zhi.
He bowed first and said, "This junior greets Aunt Wang again. I'm afraid I'll be bothering you these days!"
Wang Zhi hurriedly stopped Wan Ziyan from bowing.
No matter what, Wan Ziyan was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations; there was no reason for him to bow to a commoner like her.
The smile on her lips couldn't hide the joy in her heart, and she quickly said, "It's no trouble at all. The more people in the house, the more lively it will be. It's just that it's a pity that Master Wan has to stay with us!"
“Mother, what’s there to feel wronged about? The magistrate’s daughter has lived here too, hasn’t she?” Wan Qiqi stopped beside Wan Ziyan and tilted her head, saying, “Don’t be shy, make yourself at home!”
As she spoke, she squatted down and said to the three little ones, "Come here, let me teach you how to greet people!"
The three little ones obediently stopped in front of Wan Qiqi.
Wan Qiqi held Pingping and An'an's hands and introduced them earnestly: "You two remember, this is your mother's older brother. His relationship with your mother is just like yours, very good and close. From now on, when you see him, you should call him uncle, understand?"
Pingping understood what an uncle was after listening to Wan Qiqi's description.
An'an nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
The two little ones walked to Wan Ziyan's side, each hugging one of his legs, and stood up, calling out, "Uncle~"
Wan Qiqi interacts with many children on a daily basis, but this soft and sweet "uncle" touched his heart.
The two chubby, white babies looked like two sticky rice balls, making them instantly lovable.
Hearing Wan Qiqi speak to the two children, he could tell that Wan Qiqi's parenting style was excellent and unique.
Even though Wan Ziyan had countless worries in his heart, he quietly put them aside thanks to Wang Zhi's concern and the welcome from the little ones.
He squatted down like Wan Qiqi, took out a silk handkerchief from his bosom, and opened it to reveal two silver love locks. "Uncle has not been able to visit you before, so today Uncle is giving you a gift. I hope that from now on you will listen to your mother and relieve her worries."
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