Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 199 - 198 Sweet Little Burden

Chapter 199: Chapter 198 Sweet Little Burden

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On the 15th day of the first lunar month, Chen Afu fully recovered from her illness. To avoid arousing suspicion, she continued to feign illness and stayed in her room. Five days later, on the 20th, she finally stepped outside and went to the main house for breakfast.

Seeing Chen Afu, the whole family was overjoyed, especially Chen Ming. He hadn’t seen her since she fell ill, and repeatedly urged her to eat more. Dabao started to be clingy; he even insisted on sitting on her lap during meals, constantly calling for his "mommy" with tears in his eyes.

Alu chided him from the side, "You’re a boy, what’s with the baby act?"

Normally, Dabao would’ve been embarrassed. But today, he refused to get off her lap, sulking and insisting, "She is my mommy, my mommy."

Alu just laughed, "We know she’s your mommy. We’re not going to snatch her from you."

Even Zhui Feng, Wang Cai, Qi Qi, and Hui Hui were exceptionally enthusiastic, crowding and calling around her incessantly.

Chen Afu was in high spirits.

She shared the news with Mrs. Wang about Master Wu Zhi’s claim that Uncle Wang Cheng might still be alive, and Chu Lingxuan had agreed to inquire about it.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang was overjoyed and kept chanting prayers.

Chen Ming then shared another piece of uplifting news – Junior Officer Zhao from The Zhaos’ Village, who oppressed his villagers, indulged his son’s violence, and forcibly seized the local girls, had been arrested. If his crimes were proven, he would not escape ten years in prison.

Chen Afu felt relief upon hearing this. The old man who acted the villain deserved this retribution. Although the instigator had not been punished yet, she believed that with Granny Zhao’s personality, she was bound to meet her end.

She reminded Chen Ming to send Hu Laowu ten taels of silver and two jars of wine again, asking him to take care of Mrs. Wang’s family for the whole year. The tragic fate of Uncle Wang Cheng was primarily due to Mrs. Ding.

After the meal, she slipped into the kitchen and made some plum blossom cakes. It was just that Dabao was constantly yanking her skirt, insisting on trailing behind her, which was both a helpless and hilarious sight.

A quarter to late morning, she brought Dabao, Zhui Feng, Wang Cai, Qi Qi, and Hui Hui to Tang Garden. The alarm was now lifted. Mrs. Chen was watching over Madam Zhao, and Junior Officer Zhao had been arrested, so Chen Afu no longer needed bodyguards.

Before they reached Tang Garden, they saw Chu Hanyan, Chu Lingxuan, Marquis Chu, and others emerging from Jiao Gate, preparing to go to Lu Garden. When Chu Hanyan saw Chen Afu, she started weeping and ran towards her with excited short strides.

Crying and running, she yelled out, "Auntie, auntie, I...I missed...missed you..."

Chen Afu also quickened her pace to meet the running Hanyan, hugging her tightly as she sobbed enough to fill a river. Seeing this, Dabao also started to whine and clung to Chen Afu’s leg.

This sight made Marquis Chu and Chu Lingxuan, who were trailing behind, both helpless and amused. So it turned out that happy occasions could lead to tears too!

The whole group then turned back and headed to Lu Garden. Since Marquis Chu and Miss Chu were prone to upset stomachs, and with Chen Afu’s illness cured, they wished to dine at Lu Garden.

Back at Lu Garden, Chen Afu first led the children and animals to have their "martial arts practice".

Having not practiced martial arts for a while, plus no longer needing to wear their heavy cotton gowns but only light underclothing or cotton trousers, the children were exceptionally energetic, making everyone in the Chu family and the others burst out laughing.

After the practice, Marquis Chu laughed and said to Chen Afu, "Young girl, you were sick for such a long time that not only did Dabao and Hanyan lose weight, even this old man and Xuan’er did...without your delicious meals, we’ve become thin from hunger."

This deep gasp startled Chen Afu, but thankfully the old man recovered soon after. Chu Lingxuan remained as calm as before, as if he hadn’t comprehended the words spoken.

Chen Afu went into the kitchen to cook, while two little ones rushed in recklessly, each clinging to one of her legs, refusing to leave no matter what. In the end, she let them sit on a small wooden stool by the fireplace. The stool was a bit long, the two squeezed together on it, their gazes uniformly following her movements.

These two little ones were her sweet burdens.

Chen Afu resumed the work of a kindergarten teacher but, at times, doubling as a chef.

Life went by peacefully, and in a flash, it was mid-February.

Fu Garden was starting to take shape, the house was completed, and the build had been capped on the 12th. On that day, many people from Xiangluo Village and Shangshui Village were invited over for a meal, even Mr. Chu gave face and attended. Chen Afu didn’t make an appearance, it was Chen Ming who hosted the guests alongside Dabao.

Having such an important figure present, those who were seated at his table such as the junior officer, the landlord, Hu Laowu, Chen Ye, Officer Xia, and others were so excited they nearly cried.

The furniture and some facilities were already prepared. Once the interior decor and greenery were completed, the furniture could be moved in, and a children’s playground could be built in the yard. They should be ready to move in by the end of February.

The Marquis was set to depart for the capital on the 18th, he said he would return after staying in the capital for a while. He also said he loved this place and couldn’t bear to leave, not only Hanyan and Dabao, but also...Chen’s little girl.

A few days earlier, he had requested many items from Chen Afu, 40 catties each of osmanthus glutinous rice dates and snowball glutinous rice dates, 20 catties of biscuits, 20 catties of cakes, 40 catties of gold thread cakes, 10 jars of pickled cabbage, 10 jars of sweet rice wine. All in all, several cart full.

Upon hearing this, Chen Afu couldn’t help but twitch her mouth. Was this not blatant bribery? Yet she prepared them conscientiously.

The day before the Marquis was set to leave, on the 17th of February, Chen Afu made a trip to Shili Town. There, she held ownership of the 500 acres of fertile land and a manor, given to her by Chen Shiying. She wanted to take a look, as it would be difficult to be entangled with the young girl later on.

She had already purchased an oxcart for home. Taking Mr. Zeng to drive the oxcart, they were accompanied by Xue Dagui and Zeng Xiaoqing. Seeing that Dabao was crying for wanting to join, he was also taken along with Zhui Feng.

The farmland was in Wangshan Village of Shili Town, less than ten miles southwest from Xiangluo Village. Named Wangshan Village because it was nestled beside a large green mountain.

Incredibly, Wangshan Village was adjacent to the Zhaos’ Village. What a coincidence!

After nearly half an hour of travel, they arrived. The manor was a two-courtyard compound managed by Mr. Lin, his son, and daughter-in-law.

Mr. Lin, in his fifties, along with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren were all there to greet Chen Afu and Dabao.

Chen Afu said, "Please rise, Mr. Lin, Uncle Lin, and Aunt Lin."

Zeng Xiaoqing then handed them each a purse containing two silver ingots.

They were purchased by Chen Shiying in Jiangnan, hired to oversee the farm on behalf of the Chen family.

This land was purchased by Chen Shiying three years ago, and because Mr. Lin was highly trusted by him, he was placed here.

Chen Afu thought to herself that this place might have been Chen Shiying’s base for monitoring the Zhao family. No wonder Chen Shiying knew about every misdeed committed by the Zhaos —he had already planted moles next to Zhao’s village.

Chen Afu wasn’t worried that Mr. Lin’s family might betray her to Chen Shiying. This was because a few days ago, Chen Shiying had specifically asked Chu Lingxuan to hand over their deed of indenture to her.