Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 253 - 252: Stealing Fragrance

Chapter 253: Chapter 252: Stealing Fragrance

The preparation for returning the gifts was ready, and it was already midnight.

As soon as Chen Afu finished washing up and was ready to rest, she saw Jin Yanzi, who she hadn’t seen all day, slipping through the window. She quietly asked, "Where have you been all day?"

Jin Yanzi had disappeared suddenly without even taking her little followers, Qi Qi and Hui Hui, with her.

Jin Yanzi flicked her wings and dropped two small copper tubes onto her hand, chirping, "Let’s talk in the space."

Chen Afu got up and went to the restroom, locked the door, and then went into the space.

Jin Yanzi said, "I followed the Seventh Prince to Lingyin Temple to watch the excitement. The Seventh Prince asked Monk Gui Ling whether the tri-colored ball was real or not. When Gui Ling confirmed that it was authentic, the prince asked him to cure his illness and to prescribe medicine for him. Gui Ling agreed to help him, but the prince had to swear to heaven that he would behave himself in the future. He was told not to kidnap peasant girls or act against women’s will and to do twenty-five good deeds within three years. The prince blushed, but still made the vow..."

Having heard this, Chen Afu laughed heartily and said, "Monk Gui Ling did a good job, he indeed can’t let him mishandle young girls anymore. And I wonder what kind of good deeds he would do for the twenty-five requirements."

Jin Yanzi added resentfully, "After watching the excitement, I went to visit that ignorant old monk again. Mommy, we were all fooled by him. Green Swallow’s Nest is indeed used for medicine making. I smelled the medicine ball and it does contain the Green Swallow’s Nest, but there’s no Agarwood leaves. The leaves that the old monk wanted have all been made into incense. How annoying. Out of anger, I stole all his made incense and the half-leaf that he hadn’t used yet, and let him enjoy a chunk of my smelly pop in his teacup."

Her shiny green bean-like eyes stared at Chen Afu expectantly, looking as if she was saying, "hurry up and praise me, I’ve carried out our revenge."

Chen Afu opened the copper tubes, five green agarwood sticks were contained in one and four in the other. She asked again, "When you went there, did the old monk notice you?"

Jin Yanzi chirped, "The old monk might have been sleepy, he was leaning on the Luohan bed, sleeping with his mouth wide open, snoring so loudly. I sneakily took all the green agarwood leaves from the table and the oven and put them into the copper tubes to bring them back."

The saying goes that the little creature is sometimes very clever but also incredibly naive, and it can’t outwit the cunning old monk. Such big chunks of leaves already take so long to make into incense, let alone two and a half leaves which could be made into countless sticks of incense. What’s more, his poop could be great fertilizer for flowers and plants.

However, these words couldn’t be said out loud, in order to prevent the little creature from getting upset and making trouble for the old monk again. Although the old monk was a bit greedy and not very honest, he was indeed quite capable, and we didn’t want to enrage him. Just have to remember to help the little creature guard things in the space and prevent it from being lured away by the old monk.

Chen Afu laughed jokingly, "My darling, you’ve really done a good job this time, the monk will be really upset."

Upon hearing this, Jin Yanzi became even happier, she covered her mouth with her wings and laughed heartily.

Chen Afu was also happy, up until now, she hadn’t had the heart to use any of the green agarwood. This time she got nine sticks all at once, she could finally use some. She brought Jin Yanzi up to her mouth, Jin Yanzi knew that her mother was happy and wanted to kiss her, so she quickly removed her wings, let her mother kiss her.

Chen Afu exited the space, she broke a small piece of the green agarwood to put in her wardrobe.

The next day, after sending Qingfeng off, Chen Afu took Dabao to Lu Garden.

Last night, Mrs. Chu said that they would come to Lu Garden to formally visit their future family. Chu Lingxuan has to return to Dingzhou tomorrow, he has already taken a few days off and can’t delay any longer. Mrs. Chu also needs to return to the Capital City, she is not at ease leaving her husband and eldest son alone. Chu Lingzhi, being so into his visit, decided to stay longer with Marquis Chu.

Yesterday, Chen Afu ordered someone to inform Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang to prepare a meal, inviting the Chus over for lunch. Early this morning, Auntie Zeng and Xia Yue were sent to Lu Garden to help with cooking and house arrangement.

The Lu Garden was cleaned up thoroughly, and good furnishings were placed. Alu also didn’t go to school. He and Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang all dressed up brightly in their satin clothes.

Chen Ming led Chen Afu into the west-side room, pointing to a pile of stuff on the bed and saying, "These are the birthday gifts that people sent you yesterday ..." and told her who sent what.

The gifts included silver bracelets, gold cloves, silk fabrics, vases, ornaments, etc. They were all valuables, even to local homeowners or village chiefs. Chen Afu took the embroidered shoes Mrs. Gao made for her and a satin robe Mrs. Wei made for her. She left the rest to Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang, saying that she had accepted favours from those people and she would prepare an appropriate gift for them when needed.

Around the end of late morning, Alu and Dabao, the two little boys, were standing at the entrance of the Lu Garden ready to greet the guests.

Alu beamingly asked Dabao quietly, "Have you really started calling Mr. Chu dad, and Marquis Chu grandpa yet?"

Dabao sighed and said, "Yes, I have no choice. Now that my mom is getting married, that’s what I should call them."

Alu smiled cheekily, "When my sister is officially married into the Chu family, I could call Mr. Chu brother-in-law. Yesterday when I went to school, all my classmates were so jealous of you and me."

Dabao kept silent, thinking to himself, what’s there to be jealous about when my mom is getting married ...

While they were talking, they saw a group of people from the Chu family coming this way.

Alu shouted into the garden door first, "The guests have arrived." He then straightened his own clothes and helped adjust Dabao’s clothes before they both went to greet the guests.

The Chu family all turned up. They were welcomed to the room, the Marquis and Mrs. Chu were asked to sit in the important seats. Mrs. Chu didn’t sit, but insisted that Chen Ming should sit with the Marquis at both sides of the square table. Both families exchanged pleasant words, Chen Ming was so nervous that he was tongue-tied. However, both the Marquis and Mrs. Chu were talkative which eased the atmosphere and gradually, Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang loosened up.

Mrs. Chu gave Alu a jade pendant as a gift and Mrs. Wang gave Chu Lingzhi a wallet that she made.

Chu Lingxuan didn’t talk much and often stole glances at Chen Afu, smiling with his lips pursed when others were deep in conversation.

A few of the kids were playing with Qi Qi, Hui Hui, Zhui Feng, and Wang Cai at the entrance of the side room.

Dabao whispered to Chu Hanyan, "Look at your dad, he keeps stealing glances at my mom."

Chu Hanyan looked up and innocently asked, "Isn’t my dad your dad too? What type of gaze is considered as stealing glances?"

Dabao was stumped by the question, he didn’t know how to explain it. Well, if he couldn’t explain it, he wouldn’t mention it. He simply stared at the ground playing with Animal House, no longer watching the adults.

At the dinner table, Marquis Chu again invited Chen Ming and his family as well as Chen Afu and her son to Tang Garden to have dinner since Chu Lingxuan and Mrs. Chu were going to leave early the next morning. Chen Ming and his family happily accepted the invitation.