Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 273 - 272: Glass Mirror

Chapter 273: Chapter 272: Glass Mirror

Thanks to the ample supply of Yanchen Fragrant Leaves and a good doctor regularly examining and changing his medicines, Chen Dabao’s leg improved significantly. Following mid-August, he was able to walk without crutches and didn’t feel any pain, even being able to run and jump. Nevertheless, Chen Afu didn’t allow him to walk casually. As the saying goes, an injury to muscles and bones takes 100 days to heal. Thus, she advised him to restrict his activities until three months had passed.

On the evening of August 22nd, Chu Lingxuan, who had been gone for several days, finally returned. He arrived when it was already dark. The Old Marquis had already led Chu Hanyan and Chu Lingzhi back to the Tang Garden. Dabao was under the lamp, writing in large characters, while Chen Afu sat next to him, sewing.

Chu Lingxuan, dressed in a long purple robe with his damp hair loosely draped, walked in. He gave Dabao a few oil-paper packages, each containing different special snacks from Liao Town, including pine nut candies, pine nut cake, and sesame sticks.

Dabao cordially said, "Thank you, Father."

Getting up, Chen Afu smiled and asked, "Master, you haven’t had dinner yet, right?"

Chu Lingxuan nodded and chuckled, "I haven’t. I’ve been holding out to eat your wontons."

Chen Afu smiled, saying, "Master, please have a seat. Let me go and prepare it. Junior Manager Luo just bought some live shrimp today, they’re still alive. I’ll make you some seafood wontons."

Chen Dabao hurriedly said, "Mother, your son also wants to eat seafood wontons."

Chen Afu replied, "Alright, I’ll make for Dabao as well."

She called Auntie Zeng to the kitchen to make wontons while Chu Lingxuan stayed in the room to check on Dabao’s studies.

Just filling wontons with shrimp wouldn’t taste good, adding ground pork will make it more delicious. She minced half a pound of pork and about an ounce of shrimp and seasoned it with soy sauce, salt, green onions, and cooking wine. The soup would taste even better if there was oyster sauce, but unfortunately, that didn’t yet exist in this era. Luckily, she had leftover chicken soup which was perfect for cooking the wontons.

In no time, the wontons were ready. Chen Afu scooped two large bowls, one for Chu Huai and two small bowls with two wontons each and half a bowl of soup.

Using a tray, she brought a big and small bowl of wontons to the dining room. Chu Lingxuan brought Dabao over.

Both of them exclaimed, "This is so delicious!" Dabao wanted more after finishing, but Chen Afu didn’t agree and said, "You can’t eat too much at night because it’s harder to digest."

Dabao just watched Chu Lingxuan eat eagerly.

Chu Lingxuan looked up and said, "Father has to listen to your mother. If she says you can’t eat more, then you can’t eat more."

Dabao responded sulkily, but seeing Chu Lingxuan’s intention to talk more with him, he shuffled closer and said, "I haven’t seen Father in a long time, I just want to talk to Father a bit more."

After dinner and a long chat, Dabao stayed with Chu Lingxuan the entire time, much to his exasperation. They had been apart for so long that he wanted to hold her hand or at least openly express his feelings.

After everyone talk for a while, Chu Lingxuan decided to leave. As Chen Afu got up to see him off, Dabao attempted to follow with his crutch. She wouldn’t allow him to do so, citing the darkness and fear that he might trip.

Dabao longingly wanted to say, "If you’re worried I’ll trip, Mother, you could carry me." But seeing that Chen Afu didn’t seem to entertain the idea, and seemed slightly displeased, he kept this to himself, reluctantly watching them leave the room.

Chen Afu and Chu Lingxuan left the courtyard together with Chu Huai following them.

Seeing his master standing motionless at the yard gate, Chu Huai smartly continued walking on his own.

Once Chu Huai was far enough away, Chu Lingxuan took out a diamond-shaped mirror about the size of a palm from his pocket and gave it to Chen Afu. He chuckled, "This is a glass mirror that I had someone buy from the barbarians, and I’m gifting it to you."

Glass mirrors are extremely rare in this era, a commodity with high value but no market, able to be owned only by those with money. Ever since Chen Afu crossed into this era, she had only seen a glass mirror twice, once in Ms. Chu’s room at the Senator’s mansion and another time in Mrs. Jiang’s room.

Hearing that it was a glass mirror, Chen Afu happily accepted it, her brilliant smile was as stunning as a radiant pearl, "Thank you, master."

Just as she was about to take a look, Chu Lingxuan held the small mirror down. He said, "One should not look in the mirror at night, take a look tomorrow."

Indeed, even in her previous life, many people were superstitious about not looking into mirrors at night, not to mention this conservative ancient society. Chen Afu nodded with a smile, letting her hand with the mirror fall naturally.

Her smile was as enchanting as a flower, even more captivating than the moon in the sky. Chu Lingxuan gazed at her quietly, murmuring, "The moon light shines brightly, illuminating the lovely people. Their joyful glow stirs the emotions..."

Though the master talks like an adolescent in love, Chen Afu was still touched. She patiently listened to his praises before reminding him, "Master, it’s time to return."

Only then did Chu Lingxuan realize they were outside, not an appropriate place for such intimate conversation. Moreover, a man and a woman remaining alone in the dark for too long would risk being misunderstood by others. His face flushed from the realization of his own behavior in the presence of Afu, acting like a rash youngster.

Quickly, he said, "Good, let’s head back. I have to go to the camp tomorrow early morning and won’t be back for a few days."

Chen Afu nodded, watched him leave, tucked the mirror into her bosom, and turned back to the yard.

The next day, when Dabao saw a glass mirror on the table, he played with it curiously for a while. Seeming to realize something, he put down the mirror and asked, "Mommy, did daddy give you this mirror yesterday?"

"Yes, he did." Afu answered.

Dabao continued, "Daddy is really thoughtful. He knew you like to look pretty, so he got you this lovely little mirror. When I grow up, I’ll definitely buy you a bigger one."

"Okay, I will wait for it." Afu said with a smile.

Several days later, the corn harvest came in Wangshan Village. Though the taste hadn’t changed much, the yields had greatly increased. Chen Shiying himself went there with several officials.

It was late in the afternoon on the 26th day, the sky was high and clear, crisp autumn wind was refreshing, and the climate was comfortable. Chu Hanyan was playing in the children’s playground with Luo Mei and a few other girls, accompanied by the laughter of Qi Qi, Hui Hui, Zhui Feng, and Sasa, which echoed far and wide.

The sounds of laughter and dogs barking reached Lu Garden, causing Wang Cai to bark madly.

Chen Afu was in the West Room applying cucumber facial masks to Mrs. Wang and herself.

She used to use watermelon peel facial masks, to which she added egg whites and honey. The delighted Jin Yanzi would occasionally offer some Yanchen Fragrant Leaves - even though they were as tiny as specks of dirt. But even these tiny leaves drastically improved the quality of the facial masks.

Now, with the watermelons gone and cucumbers almost depleted, Chen Afu reluctantly used the few cucumbers left from her home to make masks.

Perhaps it was due to the Yanchen Fragrant Leaves, or maybe because of the exceptional quality of her own watermelons and cucumbers, but the facial masks worked wonderfully. Chen Afu even felt that they were better than the high-end brands she used in her previous life.

Applying the mask once every five days, after more than two months, Mrs. Wang’s skin had noticeably improved. The wrinkles and dark spots had diminished, and the skin looked brighter. Although it remained slightly coarse, it was noticeably better than before, almost appearing to make her look several years younger.

Chen Afu’s skin was even better, soft, fair, and delicate. It seemed to even have a bit of a glow.

After washing their faces, Mrs. Wang said to Chen Afu, "Afu, don’t waste so much food to make these masks anymore. It just gives me heartache to waste good food, and it keeps me up at night."