Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 350 - 349: Family Harmony Brings Success in Everything

Chapter 350: Chapter 349: Family Harmony Brings Success in Everything

Chen Shiying chuckled, "Don’t worry, Afu. I wrote him in as well, no one will be missed". Then he asked, "Erm...How is my sister doing?"

When he spoke of ’my sister,’ the longing and affection in his eyes was easy to see through.

Chen Shiying was amiable and modest to everyone. He belongs to that kind of person who never displays his emotions. He did not hide the affection in his eyes, nor the thoughts of Mrs. Wang. Perhaps he felt that this was a form of ’romantic sentiment’ that should not be concealed...

If it were before, Chen Afu might have been touched by Chen Shiying’s unwavering affection and happy for Mrs. Wang becoming the vermillion mole in his heart. But now, she was a wife, about to become a mother, and also helping her husband manage his harem. She no longer had such sentiments.

Chen Shiying’s legitimate wife, Mrs. Jiang, was really pitiable. His mother and illegitimate daughter created daily commotions, eventually ruining his marriage prospects. The scandal spread throughout Dingzhou, scaring off two families who originally wanted to marry Chen Yuqing. Mrs. Jiang was infuriated, but Chen Shiying offered only futile preaching, and he didn’t dare send Chen Yuhui back to the nunnery. When it all became too much to handle, he would ’escape,’ leaving the mess to Mrs. Jiang. Chen Yuhui caused trouble, and Mrs. Jiang was again tasked with finding her a good family to marry into.

Moreover, Chen Shiying’s concubine, Aunt He, was pregnant again...

Mrs. Jiang loved Chen Shiying genuinely. She did everything strictly according to his wishes. If she was a cunning and hypocritical woman, she would have long killed Chen Yuhui, or casually married her off to anyone’s home. She might even vent her anger by deliberately choosing a despicable family.

Mrs. Jiang exhaustively cared for Chen Shiying’s ungrateful mother, raised his children, looked after his concubine, and managed the chaotic household. Yet, the woman he thought about the most was the one he didn’t have!

Did his sudden visit here today because his mother and illegitimate daughter had made trouble again and he was hiding out?

As the ancient saying goes: cultivate oneself, manage a family, rule the nation, and bring peace to the world. But how many men can really achieve this? Most men would just say that managing the internal affairs of a household was the wife’s business, and the trouble of their parents and many illegitimate children and wives would be left in the wife’s hands...

Everyone has feelings; Chen Afu started to pity ’the stepmother’, Mrs. Jiang as well.

Chen Afu took the tea from Hong Fei’s hand and handed it to him herself. She smiled, "Father, please have some tea. My mother is doing well. My uncle has been found, and there are no issues at home that concern her, she’s getting younger every day."

Chen Shiying laughed, "That’s good. I, too..." He still hesitated to say the words "feel relieved".

Chen Afu laughed again, "When you return tomorrow, Father, please bring a jar of Soaking Wine for Mother. Not only does it contain ginseng and deer antler, but also rare medicinal ingredients gathered from remote mountains by herbal farmers. Mother has worried about you and the family so much. I hope she can stay healthy..." and not be annoyed to death by that grandmother and daughter.

She added with a smile, "Father, you should have half a cup of it each day. It’s very beneficial for your health... This kind of wine nourishes the weak but not the frail. People with poor health should not consume it; otherwise, it can lead to excessive internal heat and nose bleeds."

The frail refers to Mrs. Chen. Chen Afu wished that this cruel woman would die sooner, but she wouldn’t allow her to drink this wine.

Inside the wine, besides the medicinal herbs, there was also a piece of Yan Chenxiang Wood, as thick as a toothpick. The consumption of this wine is very beneficial. Chen Afu brewed several jars of it. Mr. Chu, Chen Ming, and Mrs. Wang were drinking it, and she had also taken two jars to Mrs. Chu.

Chen Shiying chuckled, "You are a dutiful daughter. On behalf of your mother, I thank you. When the family is harmonious, all affairs prosper. I’m very pleased that you and your mother are getting along so well."

This left Chen Afu speechless. He assumed his family was harmonious and in prosperity. The way she spoke was an intended expression that Mrs. Jiang was having a hard time at home. Yet Chen Shiying interpreted it as his legal wife and illegitimate daughter cohabitating harmoniously, and he was even quite smug about it.

The next day, after seeing Chen Shiying off and waiting for Chu Hanyan and Chen Dabao to get up and finish their meal, Chen Afu took them to Lingyin Temple. Today was Dabao’s day off, he also clamored to go out and play.

Fearing that Chen Afu would tire too much and planning to stay overnight at Yingxue Nunnery before returning to Tang Garden the next morning, he asked Mr. Liao for a half-day leave specifically.

This was the first outing Chen Afu has taken since becoming pregnant. Also, because she brought Dabao along, she brought more than a dozen guards. Of course, this includes the two guards who are specifically assigned to protect Dabao. She also let Jin Yanzi accompany them; With it, Chen Afu was completely at ease. Jin Yanzi clung to Dabao’s chest, and at a glance, it looked like a small embroidered swallow pattern on his clothes.

At this time, Xiao Lixuan was still sleeping. The people weren’t on the road yet but the dogs were already ready for the journey.

Upon realizing not only Chen Afu, Dabao, and Yan’er were going out to play, but also Jin Yanzi would go, Chang Chang and Duan Duan were discontented, they clamored to go as well.

Chang Chang and Duan Duan were currently more than four months old. Their white, plump bodies bear a striking resemblance to their mother while their gray ears, apricot-shaped eyes, and long noses resemble their father.

They were now the most popular treasures of Tang Garden and Lu Garden. Not only did humans love them, but Jin Yanzi also doted on them, and Qi Qi and Hui Hui also let them have their way.

Every day when Dabao came to Yanxiang Pavilion for a meal, the whole dog family would follow and eat at Yanxiang Pavilion. When Dabao went to school, they would escort him to the entrance of Ze Institute. Afterward, they would return to Yanxiang Pavilion and wait for Xiao Lixuan and Chu Hanyan to go to Fu Garden to play. When it was time for Dabao to finish school, they would rush back from Fu Garden to Ze Institute to pick up Dabao.

It could be said that Chang Chang and Duan Duan could leave their parents because Zhui Feng and Sasa would occasionally go to play in the forest. But the two of them absolutely could not leave Dabao as they had never been apart from him, of course, not counting when he was in school.

The dog family had chased them all the way to the entrance of Tang Garden, but they still weren’t allowed to go. Zhui Feng and Sasa didn’t mind, but the two little ones were sad, whimpering and even shedding tears, which made Chen Afu and the others unbearably sad.

Each hugging one, Dabao and Yan’er spent a good while consoling them, telling them it wasn’t that they were merciless, it was that the temple didn’t allow animals to enter.

After bidding farewell to Zhui Feng’s family, everyone headed towards Lingyin Temple.

Chen Afu couldn’t ride in a carriage; she rode in a soft palanquin.

When they arrived at the entrance of Lingyin Temple, a young monk named Gui Yi was waiting to greet them at the gate.

Gui Yi directed another monk to take the cart full of snacks to the master’s Zen Room, while he led Chen Afu and her party through the cloister towards the back of the temple.

Hong Fei helped Chen Afu in the frontwhile as Dabao and Chu Hanyan walked hand in hand behind them, with a group of guards and servants surrounding them.

Chu Hanyan looked around curiously, this was her first time at Lingyin Temple. She asked, "Brother, this place is so big, but there are no nuns."

Experienced, Dabao said, "This is a temple, there are only monks, no nuns. The Yingxue Nunnery, where our grandmother lives, is a nunnery, there are only nuns and no monks."

As they passed by the Guanyin Temple, Chen Afu proposed to offer three incense sticks to Guanyin, praying the Bodhisattva to bless her with a smooth delivery.