Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 345 - 344: Terrible

Chapter 345: Chapter 344: Terrible

Chu Lingxuan looked at Chen Afu’s noncommittal attitude, gently pinched her small nose, and said, "Don’t you already know how I feel about you? Why are you still asking such questions?" As he spoke, he too lay down, reaching out to stroke her long, black hair.

Chen Afu laughed, "Resting so early is not General Chu’s style."

Chuckling, Chu Lingxuan wrapped his arms around her and brought her into his embrace, whispering softly.

Chen Afu’s face nestled into his neck, breathing in his refreshing scent and listening to his whispers, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

"... I’m busy with work every day and rarely have time to spend with you or the family. You’re pregnant and serving our grandfather at home, looking after our daughter, and also taking care of two members of the royal bloodline... You have worked hard. In a while, I would have to... "

He heard a faint sound of snoring from his neck, looking down, Chen Afu had already fallen asleep. He chuckled, holding her until late at night before gradually falling asleep.

When Chen Afu woke up, it was already daylight. There seemed to be lingering traces of his scent on his side of the bed, but he had long since gone.

Xia Yue reported, "The master left at dawn, he told us not to wake you."

Dabao came by, he was eager to know if his father had slept with his mother last night. However, before he could ask, he swallowed his words, afraid that it would upset his mother.

Breakfast was laid out, filled with exquisite small dishes and rice porridge, none of it was appealing to Chen Afu.

Under Mrs. Li’s persuasion, she consumed an egg, a small bowl of sticky rice porridge, and a pan-fried dumpling, then she refused to eat any more.

Mrs. Li said anxiously, "Madam, how can you starve the baby like this?"

Chen Afu replied, "He’s not going to starve. I’m waiting for Chu Huai’s hot and sour vermicelli."

As soon as she mentioned hot and sour vermicelli, saliva filled her mouth, and Chen Afu hurriedly swallowed it down

After sending Dabao away, she waited until the beginning of the late morning for Chu Huai to finally bring back the hot and sour vermicelli. The shopkeeper, knowing that it was to be taken to a village fifty miles away, was afraid that the cooked vermicelli would stick together and break easily, so they gave Chu Huai the raw vermicelli and had the broth prepared separately for him to cook on the spot.

Chen Afu felt guilty looking at a perspiring Chu Huai. Her momentary craving had caused him to run such a long journey – a round trip of two hundred miles. She rewarded him with five taels of silver and told him to go and rest.

To avoid spillage, the broth was placed in a large teapot. Mrs. Hua went to the small kitchen to heat up the broth and cook the vermicelli before placing it inside the broth. She instructed Xiao Mo to bring it to the Yanxiang Pavilion.

Once Chen Afu smelled it, her taste buds flared up. Although the soybeans and peanuts were a bit soft, they still tasted incredibly delicious. She had someone tell Chu Huai that whenever he returns to Tang Garden next time, he should bring a bowl back with him.

Mrs. Li frowned upon hearing this and advised, "Madam, you should not eat too much of this. Eating too much is not good for the baby’s skin."

Chen Afu thought to herself, the fetus was currently only the size of a fingernail, it didn’t even have limbs yet, let alone skin. She laughed and said, "I will only eat it when my appetite is not good. Once my appetite improves, I will stop."

After eating, Chu Hanyan and Xiao Lixuan both came to the main room. They all went to Fu Garden for "class". Wang Xiaodi and Wang Xiaomei were already waiting at the entrance of Fu Garden.

Upon the insistence of the old Marquis and Mrs. Wang, Chen Afu stepped down from her teaching role for the time being. Xia Yue took over her class, becoming a kindergarten teacher, leading the children to play with blocks, tell stories, "practice martial arts", and play in the children’s playground in the backyard. To prevent the children from bothering Chen Afu and to promote the children’s happiness, they would come to the west wing of Fu Garden for a midday nap after lunch. They would only return to Tang Garden after their late afternoon lessons.

Having worked with Chen Afu for so long, Xia Yue had acquired almost 70 to 80 percent of her ability to educate children and was fully capable of the task.

Chen Afu sat in the corridor making small clothes for the children. Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Wu sat by her side, with Mrs. Wang also busy creating little garments.

The Fu Garden was at its most beautiful at this time, filled with a myriad of vibrant colours and blooming flowers, their fragrances wafting throughout. Although the Tang Garden was also beautiful, it was rather monotonous in comparison.

Watching the children and Qi Qi and Hui Hui practicing martial arts, Mrs. Wu couldn’t help but laugh heartily. Such scenes never failed to amuse her. Her days were light-hearted and joyous, contributing to her improved health and weight gain.

When it was almost midday, the servants came to report that the "mother-in-law" had arrived.

Chen Afu was puzzled. "My mother is already here."

The servant chuckled, "It’s your in-law from the capital city."

It was Mrs. Jiang.

Chen Afu quickly got up, telling Mrs. Wang, "Mother, I’ll be back."

Mrs. Wang nodded, "Go ahead. It hasn’t been easy for Mrs. Jiang to come this far for you."

Chen Afu nodded, and seeing that the children were having too much fun to disturb, she left for the Tang Garden, accompanied by Mrs. Li and Xiao Mo.

Mrs. Jiang was sitting in the Yanxiang Pavilion with Chen Yuqing and Chen Yuxia.

Upon entering, Chen Afu first paid her respects to Mrs. Jiang and then sat down to chat and laugh with her sisters, Chen Yuqing and Chen Yuxia.

However, Chen Afu noticed that Mrs. Jiang had slight redness around her eyes and her complexion was a bit ashen. She must have had a restless night, and yet she had traveled a great distance to see her. Chen Afu appreciated her kindness.

She suggested, "Mother, why don’t you and my sisters stay here a few more days? The country scenery is quite different, and we can go out and walk around freely whenever we like, unlike in the city where it’s a whole ordeal to leave the house."

Mrs. Jiang smiled, "Some other time. Your father left for business in another city this morning. There’s the Old Madam at home, and that troublemaker..." She paused and waved, saying, "Ah, it will only be peaceful at home once she is married off."

Mrs. Jiang didn’t continue, but Chen Afu knew the "troublemaker" she referred to must be Chen Yuhui. She wondered what mischief she must have been up to that upset Mrs. Jiang so much.

Mrs. Jiang inquired about Chen Afu’s condition, provided some prenatal advice, and had the servants bring out the gifts of ginseng and edible bird’s nest she had brought from home. She had also brought a gift for Lu Garden, which Chen Afu had a servant deliver.

Due to Mrs. Jiang’s visit, Chen Afu didn’t go to Haitang Hall for dinner, but had a meal prepared in the West Room instead.

After dinner, Chen Dabao, Chu Hanyan, and Alu came to Yanxiang Pavilion to pay their respects to Mrs. Jiang. It was the first time Mrs. Jiang had met Dabao and Alu. She held their hands, shared a few jokes with them, and gave them gifts.

While Mrs. Jiang was entertaining the children, Chen Yuqing whispered to Chen Afu, "Chen Yuhui is so insufferable, even thinking of shameless things. Grandmother even supports her. My mother is furious. My father, on the other hand, excused himself for being busy with official business and dropped the mess on my mother, asking her to keep an eye on them. My mother almost fell ill from anger..."

As she spoke, Chen Yuqing’s eyes reddened.

Chen Afu looked at Mrs. Jiang, clearly worn out. Although decked out in full makeup and extravagant attire, her appearance still made her look much older than her actual age.