Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 653 - 651

After hearing Jingrui’s words, Xiao’er propped her chin up with one hand, leaning half of her body on the small carriage table. She looked at Jingrui with a mischievous expression, her eyes filled with cunning. "Elder brother seems to know Miss Zhu quite well? What kind of household could raise a lady like her?"

Jingrui instinctively avoided Xiao’er’s gaze, his blushing ear tips stealthily creeping up to the color of the red sunset. "I found Miss Zhu to be kind-hearted and courageous. This must be due to her being well-educated at home."

"Oh ...somewhat reasonable!" Xiao’er deliberately stretched her voice, exaggerating her tone, then heavily nodded.

Zhao Yong outside the carriage: What a naughty lady!

Jingrui wasn’t sure why he felt an uncontrollable impulse to flee, but indeed he acted upon it: "It’s quite hot in the carriage, I’ll ride the horse."

After leaving these words hanging, Jingrui lifted the carriage curtain and jumped off.

Once he had dismounted the carriage, the snowflakes fell gently onto his face. The coolness soothed his flushed cheeks considerably, and it was only then that it dawned on him he can’t ride a horse while it’s snowing!

At this moment, Xiao’er’s voice was heard from inside the carriage: "Elder brother, does the snow outside make you feel quite refreshed?"

Jingrui feigned ignorance and swiftly ran off.

Everyone outside the carriage, Yang Liu, Yang Mei, and Zhao Yong, all laughed.

Shortly after, a few carriages returned to Lianxi Village.

Manager Qian, knowing that the young masters would return home in a few days, had long ordered the gatekeeper to keep a watchful eye on the village entrance. The moment he saw the masters’ carriage turning off the official road, he was duly reported.

The gatekeeper had risen before dawn and sat at the gate, having his lunch served in a big bowl at the doorstep.

So when he saw a few carriages turning off the official road, he knew that his masters had returned!

Within several surrounding villages, who else could have such a grandeur beside his masters? No one dared to question his judgement on that.

Therefore, upon the return of Xiao’er and her party, all the servants at home lined up to welcome them.

Manager Qian, leading the servants, knelt down and greeted Mrs. Liu and the party.

Mrs. Liu quickly asked them to rise.

The warmth of the house greeted them as they walked inside.

Yang Mei stepped forward to help Xiao’er remove her cloak, Xiao’er looked around the room, everything was exactly as she remembered from a few years ago. Everything was spotlessly clean.

Xiao’er nodded: "Manager Qian has taken much pains, the house is well maintained."

"It’s my duty, miss. Madam, young masters, ladies, the hot water is ready. How about freshening up and then having dinner?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Liu, who was inspecting everything, nodded at Manager Qian: "Good, thank you Manager Qian."

The weather was cold, and it was snowing. It was dinner time and everyone was hidden inside their houses, so the return of Xiao’er and her party did not attract the attention of the villagers.

However, the folks from the old house, who already had information from Shen Jingwen, also learned about it at the earliest.

Shen Jingwen hastily entered the main room: "Father, mother, the third branch family is back!"

Hearing this, Mr. Shen nodded, "As long as they are home safe and sound."

Throughout the years, the old man’s hair had turned completely white, the wrinkles on his face had deepened, and he seemed like an old man in the sunset of his life. fгeewebnovёl.com

"That ungrateful wolf has finally decided to return!" Mrs. Zhuang Lin viewed the third branch family with utter resentment! Everyone raises sons, so does she! Her son put her in jail, and during her time in the dungeon, she cursed them several times every day. She wished she could eat their flesh and drink their blood.

Hearing this, Mr. Shen glared at Mrs. Zhuang Lin: "What are you talking about? If you can’t keep yourself in control any longer, then stay inside the house and don’t come out! The third branch is likely to visit us later, don’t upset them! The old house, hurry up and tidy up the house, clean off the oil stains and dust from the tables and chairs. The way the third branch is living now is very different from before, don’t dirty their clothes."

Hearing these words, Mrs. Lan pursed her lips, but in the end, set to work on the cleanup.

Seeing this, Mr. Shen heaved a sigh of relief. In recent years, the eldest branch of the family has been paying no heed to the old couple, resulting in a lazy and unruly state of affairs in the house. They are unable to handle the house, which is unbelievably chaotic and dirty. Most of the work in the field was done by him, and he gets so tired every day that he can hardly stand. He’s had enough!

The imperial capital is a place he no longer dares, nor can go to. He could only hope for the third branch to return, put aside his old face, and beg them not to abandon him. Otherwise, he really wouldn’t be able to carry on like this. If he were to continue living like this, he wouldn’t survive more than a few years!

Hearing these words, Mrs. Zhuang Lin scoffed: "Keep dreaming! Just wait and see if those ungrateful children will come to see you!"

Mr. Shen pointed at Mrs. Zhuang Lin and scolded: "You are incorrigible! If you upset the third branch family again, they might not come back. You can live your godforsaken life! I’ve had enough of you all! I can’t help you!"

"Father, don’t get angry. When the third branch family returns this time, we will certainly go and apologize. It was my parents who made mistakes in the past. We will go apologize, kneel down and beg for their forgiveness. Father, mother, isn’t that right?" Who would want to live such a miserable life!

Mrs. Lan and Shen Chengguang nodded: "Father, rest assured, we know we were wrong! From now on, we will worship the third branch family like our ancestors!"

"There’s no need for that, the third branch isn’t like that. But he is now a Marquis. Times have changed, if you act respectfully, you will not go wrong." Mr. Shen nodded approvingly.

Through the years, Shen Jingwen has not forgone his hatred for the third branch family. How could he not hate the family that ruined his future and made his descendants ineligible to participate in the Imperial Examination! Just recalling the words of that person a few days ago, he sees this as his only chance of turning his life around. With his talent and being a founding hero of the nation, he could become the second most powerful person in the kingdom!

Thinking about the time when he will be directly under one person, but above everyone else, and no longer having to set up a stall on the streets, helping people write letters for a living, he hurriedly appeased Mrs. Zhuang Lin: "Mother, the third branch was always kind hearted and amiable. There’s no staying mad between father and son. So many years have passed, even the deepest hatred should have faded by now! Mother, when the third branch family arrives, even if you don’t speak, do not say harsh words!"

Mrs. Zhuang Lin did not speak, but she gave a cold snort.

She just intimidates them! Glancing down at her own clothes, patched up everywhere, without a single piece of jewelry on her body or head, when the people in the village see her, if they’re not mocking or sneering, they’re keeping their distance. She’s had enough of this life!

Seeing this, Shen Jingwen heaved a sigh of relief. He exchanged glances with Shen Chengguang, Mrs. Lan, and Mrs. Ji, and then all of them began to clean up the house actively.

Seeing this, Mr. Shen nodded approvingly. It seemed the eldest branch of the family had learned their lesson, but if they hadn’t, after enduring so much hardship, then he could not help them anymore.

The return of the third branch of the family finally gave Mr. Shen a glimmer of hope for the future! He thought he wouldn’t live long enough to see the third branch of the family return!