FID – Chapter 613

Chapter 613: Listening to Gossip

It was clear that Qian Wanjin was subtly mocking the two women.

Liu Yusheng and the others didn’t say anything; there was no need to help them out.

It wasn’t that Liu Yusheng held any prejudice against them. It was just that, from the very beginning, she knew their visit wasn’t innocent.

If it were just a casual meeting, it would have been fine. But Wang-shi and Chen Xiuying had clearly come for more than just matchmaking.

There was an ulterior motive behind it.

The two women who had come with Chen Xiuying must have known what she was planning, yet they still came.

Especially after interacting with them once or twice, though the time was brief, it was enough for Liu Yusheng to figure out what kind of people they were. So, there was nothing more to say.

They were different from how Little White Lotus approached her Second Brother. She liked him for who he was, but these two were completely after the Liu family’s background and status.

With Wang-shi and Chen Xiuying around, they might stir up trouble before they leave. The family couldn’t stay peaceful.

The Liu family had always been harmonious and friendly, and such people had no place here.

Any outsider who inserted themselves into the family could very well cause it to fall apart, never to return to its former state.

Once the two women arrived, the previously pleasant atmosphere was gone, and Liu Yusheng, Qian Wanjin, and the others couldn’t possibly continue discussing the winery business in front of them.

Otherwise, they would never stop pestering her second brother, creating trouble for themselves.

Qian Wanjin showed off a little in front of the two women, but when the conversation stalled, he grew bored and his eyes shifted. “Nannan, how about we go play at the village entrance?”

“What’s there to do at the village entrance?”

“Let’s go gossip!” Qian Wanjin grinned. “Grandpa Liu should be chatting with people at the village entrance right now. Let’s join the fun. Don’t underestimate those old guys from Xinghua Village. They talk about everything, from all over the world, and there are so many things we’ve never heard of that they know.”

Liu Yusheng glanced at Shi Xianrou and Liu Muqiu, then at the Yang sisters sitting beside her, looking awkward and gloomy. She nodded. “Alright, let’s go have some fun. I’ll bring some tea too. The uncles and aunts in the village love our tea.”

Though the Yang sisters felt uncomfortable, they still followed them. Otherwise, if everyone left, what would they stay for in the Liu family courtyard? Staring at each other awkwardly?

On their way, Liu Yusheng took a large teapot and packed a couple of clean cups in a basket, then carried it as they all left the house.

Xinghua Village had already regained its previous vitality. In just a short time, the devastation from the previous flood had disappeared, and it was said to be recovering faster than any other village in the area.

As they walked along, they encountered various uncles, aunts, and villagers. Some were heading to work with hoes in hand, while others had just finished tending to their vegetable gardens and were coming out of their yards.

Occasionally, they would come across a few children playing at their doorsteps. When they saw the group, they immediately turned around and followed them, chattering excitedly without stopping.

The little ones in Xinghua Village were clever and friendly, especially those who were very familiar with Liu Yusheng and Qian Wanjin. The way they called out ‘elder brother’ and ‘elder sister’ in different tones, with their soft, baby-like voices, was enough to melt anyone’s heart.

As they continued along the path, Liu Yusheng occasionally glanced at the vegetable gardens in front of the houses.

The soil in Xinghua Village was excellent, and after the disaster, the newly planted vegetables had grown lush and green in just over a month. Many were already ready for harvesting.

Among this, her space and spiritual spring played a significant role.

The rice in the fields couldn’t be saved, but the vegetables in everyone’s gardens could certainly benefit, shortening their growth cycle and providing nourishment.

With healthy crops, the villagers’ spirits lifted. The smiles on the faces of the women showed just how much their morale had improved.

By the time they reached the village entrance, a group of children had followed them. Under the ancient pagoda tree at the village entrance, there was a circle of old folks sitting around the tree trunk, occupying the space beneath it.

Their grandpa was among them.

“Grandpa, are you still chatting away?”

“Well, yeah, this is rare. What brings our Nannan all the way out here today?” One of the old men laughed and asked, then his eyes immediately fixed on the teapot in Liu Yusheng’s hand. “Nannan, did you bring us some tea? Got any cups? Pour one for this old man first!”

Someone had already stood up. He quickly grabbed the basket from Liu Yusheng’s hand, took out the cups, and served himself some tea.

These elders didn’t care much about anything, but they sure loved the tea from the Liu family.

They felt relaxed and content just from drinking it!

“I brought a pot; it should be enough for everyone to have a small bowl,” Liu Yusheng laughed.

“Not enough, not enough! When it comes to your tea, one bowl is never enough to satisfy the craving!”

Qian Wanjin placed his hands on his hips. “You elders are quite greedy, huh? Tea can’t fill your stomach, and you still want to drink to your heart’s content? If it’s really not enough, go back to the Lius’ courtyard, and let Nannan brew a big pot for you. If you can’t finish it, take some home!”

“Can tea be taken home? Young Master, do you think the Liu family kitchen is a teahouse?”

The old men and women laughed merrily.

After everyone finished their tea and sat back down, Qian Wanjin crouched in front of them. “We’re here today to join in the fun, listen to what interesting gossip you all have to share.”

“Speaking of gossip, there is something, and it’s even related to the Liu family,” one of the old men said, stroking his beard and building suspense.

Grandpa Liu slapped the back of the man in front of him, almost causing him to choke. “If there’s gossip, just say it. Stop dragging it out. Do you think this is a teahouse for storytelling?”

“This old guy loves doing this! Every time there’s gossip, he just can’t help but tease us before he spills the beans. Hahaha!”

While the old men were teasing each other, Liu Yusheng, with Shi Xianrou and Liu Muqiu, found a protruding root of the ancient tree to sit on. None of them minded whether the tree was dirty or not, and they enjoyed watching the elderly people laugh and chat.

“I also heard about this matter from someone who came back from the county town,” the old man said, glancing at Liu Muqiu. “It’s somewhat related to Muqiu. Do you remember the county magistrate’s daughter who used to come to the Liu family’s courtyard with you? Miss Kang from the Kang family, the one who got married half a month ago? 

There wasn’t much of a ceremony, just a palanquin and a procession of music, and she was taken to her husband’s home. I heard that the county magistrate and his wife didn’t even come out to send her off. The relationship between the parents and the daughter was pretty strained.”

“We’ve known about this for a long time. You’re treating it like a story, tell us something new!” Grandpa Liu interrupted.

The Liu elders already knew that the county magistrate’s daughter had gotten married half a month ago, but no one in the family had really discussed it.

There wasn’t much to talk about—it didn’t have much to do with them.

And since Muqiu and Miss Kang used to be friends, they didn’t want to bring it up and make her feel uncomfortable. After all, she wasn’t really someone worth maintaining a friendship with.

The old man, after being teased, narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “There’s more to it, just listen to me. Yesterday, the county magistrate’s daughter ran back home. Many people saw her along the way. Her hair was all messy, and she was covered in bruises, her face swollen. It was a pitiful sight. 

I heard that she was beaten by her in-laws. She couldn’t take it anymore, and without support from her parents, her in-laws became even more ruthless. In the end, she found a chance to escape and came back crying, shouting that she didn’t want to go back to her husband’s home and wanted a divorce!”