Chu Qingzhi’s adoptive father, Chu Zhongyuan, looked at Wang Peifang, who was helped back by the servant girl, and frowned. “Why did Madam faint?”
The servant girl quickly replied, “When Madam saw that the person on the float today was Chu Qingzhi, she got excited… and fainted.”
Chu Zhongyuan raised his voice in shock. “Chu Qingzhi?”
“Yes, Master, it’s Chu Qingzhi, whom you sent away.” The servant girl thought to herself, You deserve it. If you didn’t chase Miss away, the Chu family would enjoy endless glory now!
Chu Zhongyuan was also a little dizzy. He had heard that a girl named Chu Qingzhi had been conferred the title of a baroness. He also thought that it was someone else with the same name. After all, in his impression, his adoptive daughter was humble and timid. How could she have the courage to save the refugees?
Chu Zhongyuan pinched his forehead. Now that Chu Qingzhi was a baroness, even the county magistrate had to give her some face.
He glared at Wang Peifang. It was all this woman’s fault for being petty and short-sighted. Now, Chu Qingzhi had nothing to do with them. It was too infuriating!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn’t help but raise his hand and slap Wang Peifang. What a useless woman!
If not for the fact that Wang Peifang was too domineering and her family was powerful, he would not have agreed to send his adoptive daughter away.
Wang Peifang was woken up by the slap. Seeing that her husband had slapped her, she flew into a rage. She raised her hand and slapped Chu Zhongyuan too.
She roared, “My parents never hit me. What right do you have to hit me?!”
Chu Zhongyuan said angrily, “Look at what you’ve done. The family business is in a mess because of you. The turnover is decreasing every month. My daughter is gone, and my son is sickly. You’re a jinx. I’m unlucky to have married a woman like you!”
Wang Peifang was stunned. She did not expect her weak husband to blame her instead of reflecting on himself. If not for her, his family would have gone bankrupt long ago.
“I’m the one who’s unlucky to have married a man like you. Not only are you not of any help, but you also hit women. If you think you are capable, go out and work hard!”
Chu Zhongyuan shouted back, “Wang Peifang, you always say that my family depends on your family. Why don’t you think about how much you’ve squandered over the years?”
Tears rolled down Wang Peifang’s face. “How much I have squandered? Haven’t I done enough for this family? Your family wanted a grandson, so I prayed all day and found countless doctors. But not only was your family not on my side, but they also brought a child back. What is that supposed to mean? Are you insulting me for not being able to have a child?”
Chu Zhongyuan pointed at Wang Peifang’s nose. “Wang Peifang, we brought the child back because we didn’t want you to be under too much pressure. You are ungrateful!”
Wang Peifang slapped Chu Zhongyuan’s hand away. “Why should 1 be grateful? What has the child got to do with me? I’m not willing to raise someone else’s child!”
Chu Zhongyuan was speechless. “How ridiculous! Now, it’s her who doesn’t want to be your child.”
These words were like a sharp knife stabbing into Wang Peifang’s heart. Her face turned pale and she suddenly lost the desire to argue.
She walked towards the courtyard in a daze and muttered.
“I was wrong. It’s all my fault. Back then, I married you against my parents’ will. I was wrong. Why was I so stupid back then?”
“Retribution. This is all retribution.”
Chu Zhongyuan spat at Wang Peifang’s back. “What I regret the most in my life is marrying a jinx like you.”
When Old Master Chu and Old Madam Chu heard the argument in the courtyard, they couldn’t help but shed tears. Back then, if not for the fact that they asked their son to marry Wang Peifang, who came from a better family, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.
Sigh, it was too late to regret.
There was an unprecedented gloominess in the Chu family. The name “Chu Qingzhi” became a taboo no one dared to mention.
The next day, Wang Peifang fell ill.
The flower float paraded around the county city for a full circle before stopping. When the parade ended, it was already noon.
The county magistrate originally wanted to treat everyone to a meal in the restaurant, but Tang Jinghong refused, and so did Chu Qingzhi, so after exchanging a few words, they parted ways.
The villagers of the Chu Village waited at the city gate to return with Chu Qingzhi.
Some of the people who needed to help prepare the banquet had already gone back in advance.
Tang Jinghong had been busy with work recently and originally planned to go back to the military camp directly. However, when Chu Qingzhi held his hand, he couldn’t bear to be separated from her. He thought to himself, It’s fine. I can stay up late to handle the work tonight.
As soon as Chu Qingzhi returned, she saw a thirteen-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl waiting at the door.]
The two children opened their mouths and shouted, “Granduncle, Grandaunt, Uncle, Aunt, Cousin…”
They were Li Qingyin’s children, Xu Songnian and Xu Wenlin.
In front of the two of them were two baskets filled with bamboo leaves.
Chu Qingzhi looked at the bamboo leaves and smiled. They were hardworking children. “Mother, go and weigh the baskets. After weighing them, let the two children stay for lunch.”
Li Qingyu nodded. “Ok.”
Chu Qingzhi led Tang Jinghong to the central room and sat down. “Wait for me. I’ll go change my clothes.”
“Go ahead. I’ll go help carry the dishes and set up the table.”
“Ok.”
Xu Songnian brought over five kilograms of bamboo leaves. Li Qingyu gave him fifty copper coins. Xu Wenlin brought over two and a half kilograms. Li Qingyu gave her twenty-five copper coins. After lunch, she sent them to the village entrance.
It took about half an hour to get from Chu Village to Xu Village. There were two villages in the middle, and there were many people coming and going, so this route was relatively safe for children.
On the way back, Xu Wenlin whispered, “Brother, 1 have to work hard in the future.”
Xu Songnian clenched his fists. “Me too. Sister, let’s go back and water and fertilize the bamboo forest. In the future, we will specialize in picking bamboo leaves and selling them.”
Xu Wenlin echoed, “Brother, I support you. I’ll help you.”
Xu Songnian said in high spirits, “Let’s work hard together and earn more money to make our family better.”
Xu Wenlin nodded heavily, her eyes filled with yearning. “Yes.”
In Yunfei School.
After lunch, Chu Xuyuan and Chu Xuyao rode Fu Bao to the school. After they got off the horse, Fu Bao ran back on its own..
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