170 The Wang Family’s Creditor
Under the endless anticipation of the Wang family, Wang Chuanman set off.
Liu Shi was the most worried. She was distracted for the next few days and could not focus on anything.
From time to time, she would look out the door.
When it was her turn to cook, it was either too salty or bland.
The others did not say anything, but Old Madam Wang called Liu Shi into her room. “Regarding Chuanman going out, do you have a problem with this old woman? Do you hate me and want me to go in his place?”
Liu Shi was terrified. “Mother, what are you talking about? How can I think like this? I’m just worried about my husband. He has never gone out so far. Will he encounter any trouble on the way?”
“Where do you think we came from?” Old Madam Wang wanted to mock her, but when she thought about how Liu Shi really loved her husband, her words seemed heartless.
There was no need to disappoint her daughter-in-law.
She thought about it and said, “Didn’t Chuanman tell you? He and Aibao were born on the road of exile. In those six years, we’ve traveled almost half of the Great Chang Nation. He’s traveled much more than you think.”
In those days, there were frequent wars, and not a single place was safe.
They could only keep moving and walking. There was no way to stay in the same place for a long time.
“Chuanman is the best at navigation. This is not an ability he was born with, but something he developed step by step. He has climbed through countless mountains and he knows places where else no one has walked before. He always brings his Aibao along to those places that no one has walked before to find food.
I’m afraid all of you are blaming me for being biased towards your Second Brother by only letting him study-you don’t have to be in a hurry to refute me. It’s only normal for you to have resentment in your hearts. Chuangui is the most talented in terms of academics. Some time ago, we were traveling with an old man. He learned a lot of poetry and even used to read books to rich children to exchange for a few meals of rice for our family.
But the other children’s talents are not in that direction.
Your Eldest Brother is too honest, and your Third Brother is the most flexible and is good at figuring out people’s hearts. However, he doesn’t have much talent in studying-there’s actually no point in me telling you so much. It’s just that I want you to know that although I’m not a fair and impartial mother-in-law, I’m not unreasonable. Most of their paths in life are chosen by them. It’s the same for Chuangui who’s happy to study, and it’s the same for your Chuanman who’s gone out to look for his sister. They have a plan in their hearts and won’t shoot their mouths off.”
This was the first time Old Madam Wang had spoken so much to Liu Shi. When she mentioned Wang Chuangui, she deliberately raised her voice.
Perhaps it was because she heard Madam Zhang’s footsteps that suddenly became lighter.
Madam Zhang must have come back for something and happened to overhear them.
Wang Chuanman had never said these words to Liu Shi. Firstly, he felt that there was no need, and secondly, he was afraid that she would not feel good.
There was not much to remember about the days of torture when he was young.
Moreover, he had lost his little sister. Every time he thought about it, it hurt.
Liu Shi’s face was filled with shame. “Mother, I really didn’t think like that. It’s not that I don’t know what’s good for me…”
She naturally had those small thoughts before, but they were only fleeting.
No one was a true saint. Who wouldn’t have complicated thoughts?
They just had to think things through.
When Madam Zhang heard this, she turned around to look for Wang Chuanyuan and asked him what Old Madam Wang had said.
Madam Zhang asked, “Mother has discussed with you about Chuangui’s studies, right?”
Wang Chuanyuan: “I did. Mother even asked if the four of us wanted to study together. I rejected her on the spot.”
“Why did you reject it?? Even Chuangui can study. You’re younger than him, so you can also study.” Madam Zhang felt that their family was a little rich now. Even if he wasn’t going to take the Imperial Examination, it was also good to be literate.
Wang Chuanyuan shook his head vigorously. “No, no, no. It’s good enough that I can learn some math. I just need to be able to settle the accounts in the bun shop and do our business well. I’m not cut out for studying. Back then, when our family was surviving in the wilderness, and Mother taught us to study… Sigh, let’s not talk about it-”
At that time, he was beaten up a lot, and his father was also punished.
This was because Old Madam Wang always said that since her sons were so stupid, they must have taken after Old man Wang.
If he said too much, he would cry.
“Mother is literate?” Madam Zhang thought of her maiden family. That was also a nest that favored boys over girls. But even the boys had not even been sent to school, let alone her, a girl.
Could it be that the Wang family was different?
They were actually willing to send her mother-in-law to study.
“Haven’t you heard how Mother scolds people? Not only are her words not repetitive, but she also doesn’t use a single curse word. How can you not know that Mother is knowledgeable?”
Madam Zhang: “…” She hadn’t thought of that.
As for Liu Shi, after talking to Old Madam Wang, the knot in her heart dissipated.
She realized that her understanding of her husband was not thorough enough.
Moreover, she should give her husband more trust.
Little Ah Yu also noticed that her mother had not been very happy recently, so every time she left school, she would pester Liu Shi.
She did not go to play with her brothers, nor did she talk to Qin Huai.
Even in the afternoon, when the children were practicing martial arts, Little Ah Yu did not go.
She had to accompany her mother.
With Little Ah Yu’s company, Liu Shi finally recovered and was no longer so awkward.
Seeing Little Ah Yu’s worried look, Liu Shi felt a little ashamed.
She had been so focused on her emotions these past few days that she did not notice that it had traumatized her child.
Hence, on this day, Liu Shi planned to bring Little Ah Yu out to shop.
At the same time, she would buy some ordinary flowers and plants to care for in the courtyard.
The small courtyard at home had already been planted with vegetables. The remaining area was for planting flowers.
The peach tree in front of the bun shop had also been moved to the courtyard after the Flower Festival. Many of the flowers had been shaken off. Little Ah Yu dripped two drops of Myriad Spirit Water on it, and the peach tree was finally not tortured to death.
It even attracted a few birds and they stayed on the peach tree every day, unwilling to leave.
“Ah Yu, let’s go to the street to pick some fabric.” Madam Ma’s crafting skills were good, and the weather was about to gradually become hot. Old Madam Wang took out some money and asked Liu Shi to buy some fabric from the cloth shop and bring it back for Madam Ma to make some clothes.
They went to the cloth shop to pick a few rolls of cloth and asked the shopkeeper to wrap them up before sending them to the Wang family.
The shopkeeper chuckled as he sent them out the door. “Madam, don’t worry. I’ll get the helper to send them over to you later.”
“Thank you.” Liu Shi smiled and led Little Ah Yu to the pastry shop.
Little Ah Yu liked to eat hibiscus cakes recently, so Liu Shi bought a few pieces and they’d just come out of the shop.
Before Little Ah Yu could take a bite, someone suddenly ran out from the side and suddenly grabbed the hibiscus cake in Little Ah Yu’s hand. In a moment of carelessness, her cake was snatched away.
“Aiya, my cake!” Little Ah Yu staggered and sat on the ground. She pouted and looked at the person running away with an aggrieved expression.
Liu Shi hurriedly pulled Little Ah Yu up. “Ah Yu, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself anywhere? Let Mother take a look.”
How could Little Ah Yu care about herself? “My cake, Mother, cake!”
It was so expensive!
The hibiscus cake cost five copper coins a piece. Third Uncle and Third Aunt had to sell a lot of buns to buy one.
Ah Yu could not bear to finish it. She only took a small bite every time and left the rest for her brother and the adults.
In the end, it was all gone now!
Hidden in the crowd, the people who were originally protecting Qin Huai recalled Young Master’s instructions when they saw that Little Ah Yu was about to cry.
“Protecting Ah Yu is like protecting me.”
That person only hesitated for a moment before running forward quickly. Soon, he grabbed the person who had run off with the hibiscus cake.
“Stop, return what you stole!” the person said coldly.
Unexpectedly, when the person who snatched the hibiscus cake heard this, he panicked and stuffed the hibiscus cake into his mouth.
Her mouth was bulging.
She swallowed hard.
Then, she choked and her eyes rolled upwards.
“Spit it out!” The man frowned.
This person would probably choke to death.
The person who was grabbed shook her head crazily.
In a hoarse voice that was almost inaudible, she said, “This is what they owe our family!”