Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 357 - 356: Such a Coincidence

Chapter 357: Chapter 356: Such a Coincidence

"But..." Both children were somewhat confused and wanted to continue asking, but Chu Lingxuan shook his head and said, "We’ll discuss it further once we’re back at Tang Garden."

Chu Lingxuan then asked Marquis Chu, "Seeing that we’re already here, should we go see my mother?"

Marquis Chu glanced again at the Yingxue Nunnery, standing alone in the middle of the forest, surrounded by ancient towering trees and red walls hidden by the black tiles, looking more secluded and extraordinary... He felt a certain satisfaction just by looking at it from a distance.

He shook his head and sighed, "Alas, it’s not the time yet. I’d rather not upset her. Please do accompany my mother well. She’s alone here all the time."

After saying this, with a look of melancholy, Marquis Chu left the pavilion and headed towards the Lingyin Temple at the foot of the mountain.

As he took a few steps, Chu Hanyan called out, "Grandfather."

Upon hearing Chu Hanyan addressing him so, Marquis Chu turned around with delight.

Seeing him looking back, Chu Hanyan asked in a soft voice, twisting her chubby little finger, "Sister wants to know.. was there any leak in the umbrella..."

Dabao, seeing that she hadn’t made herself clear, loudly added, "What my sister means is, was there a hole in the umbrella used to shield the princess from bird dung? Was the princess hit by poo?"

Marquis Chu was surprised that these two children could ask such a difficult question. Seeing the expectation in their eyes, he forced a smile and said, "Well, it seems there was a small hole." Then he quickly turned around and left.

Chu Hanyan pouted and said, "He didn’t tell us if the bad woman got hit by poo."

Laughing at the restrained damage, both Chen Afu and Chu Lingxuan burst out laughing.

Dabao laughed and said, "If there was a hole in the umbrella, the dung must have leaked through, and the bad woman must have been hit by it."

Chu Hanyan began to laugh after hearing this. She watched as Marquis Chu’s figure became smaller and smaller, then asked, "He’s our grandfather, why doesn’t he come home with us?"

Chu Lingxuan glanced at the servants around him and whispered, "Because he has another home in the Capital City, so he doesn’t live with us."

On the road, Chu Lingxuan instructed the two children, "Do not tell grandmother that we met grandfather here."

Both children echoed in unison, "Why not?"

Chu Lingxuan paused and said quietly, "Because he was taken away by another woman, breaking grandmother’s heart. Whenever she hears about him, she feels sad."

Understanding dawned on Dabao as he said, "Oh, I get it. It was that bad woman who took grandfather away! That bad woman is horrible, hitting mother, hitting younger sister, even stealing grandfather." He then asked Chu Lingxuan,

"Dad, you’re such a high-ranking official, and so capable, why couldn’t you protect your own father?" He looked worriedly at his beautiful mother and lovely younger sister.

Chu Hanyan quickly said, "Daddy, you should go get grandfather back. That bad woman is so nasty, she might hit grandfather." She also said, "Grandmother is so pitiful, her husband was stolen and she lives alone in the mountains." After speaking, she pouted, looking very unhappy.

Childish words without fear caused Chu Lingxuan to feel extremely awkward and helpless. This place had little room for extensive explanations. He could only speak in low tones, "Dad is trying to think of a solution...Good kids, not only should you not tell grandmother about grandfather and the bad woman, but don’t go spreading it around either, it could cause trouble."

Chen Afu, holding Dabao’s hand, looked at his worried expression, a mix of amusement and emotion welled up in him. He quietly reassured him, "Dabao, don’t worry. Your father is very capable, he won’t let mother or sister be taken away."

"But..." Dabao found it hard to believe, but seeing that his mother didn’t want to continue the topic, he held back his questions.

When they arrived back at the Zen room, the vegetarian meal was already set on the table.

Liao Chen welcomed them warmly to the table to enjoy the meal. Both children wanted to comfort their poor grandmother, but recalling their father’s instructions, they suppressed their feelings.

Though Dabao behaved as if nothing had happened, Chu Hanyan’s expression was extremely unnatural, frequently casting sympathetic glances at Liao Chen.

Liao Chen laughed and said, "Hanyan, is there something you want to discuss with grandmother?"

Chu Hanyan looked puzzled and said, "Eh? How did grandmother know?" Realizing she might have spoken out of turn, she glanced at her father and hastily added, "No, Sister has nothing to tell grandmother."

Liao Chen shook her head with a smile, then picked up two pieces of mushroom with chopsticks and placed them in Chen Afu’s bowl, saying, "These are pine mushrooms, tasty and nutritious. Eat more and hopefully, by the end of the year, you’ll have a pair of chubby boys." She paused, and added, "Afu, don’t worry. If this child is a girl, the next one will be a boy. Take advantage of your youth to have a few more children."

"Thank you, mother," Chen Afu said with gratitude.

Seeing the two children staring at her, Liao Chen smiled and gave them a portion each.

Jin Yanzi sat by the table eating pine nuts and walnuts, as well as a plate of pine mushrooms.

After everyone had eaten the meal and made some idle chat, Chen Afu, along with the two kids and Jin Yanzi, went back early to their own Zen rooms to rest.

Once everyone else had left the room, Chu Lingxuan happily informed Liao Chen that the Ninth Prince’s leg was completely healed, the Emperor was very pleased, and even Shan Jieyu had cried with joy...

"Shan Jieyu has really gone through a lot," Liao Chen commented. Then, she hesitated and added, "Mother has had a question for a while. If you think it’s appropriate to answer, then please do, but if you can’t, then don’t worry about it."

Chu Lingxuan laughed and said, "What is it? You can ask, Mom."

Liao Chen said, "Dabao’s identity must not be a simple one. Was it his plan to have Dabao sent to that forest with the intention of letting me raise him in Tang Garden?"

Chu Lingxuan pondered for a moment, feeling that some things ought to be shared with her to prevent her misunderstanding towards his father from deepening. He nodded and said, "I only found out later... how did you guess?"

Liao Chen calmly said, "I see, I wondered why there were so many coincidences..."

It was six years ago, in early March, when Liao Chen made a trip to Tang Garden by carriage. As the journey neared completion, being only two or three miles from Tang Garden, the carriage suddenly broke down near a forest. As they waited for the coachman to repair the carriage, Liao Chen and her accompanying nun stepped out of the carriage.

Suddenly, they heard faint cries of a child from the forest and immediately followed the sound. Upon entering the forest, they saw a red bundle lying under a tree about a few yards away, the crying was coming from there.

Although it was spring, leaving the baby on the ground could easily lead to illness. Liao Chen’s heart ached at the sight, and she quickly walked towards the crying baby. As she rushed, she tripped over a stone and sprained her foot. As she crouched down in pain, rubbing her ankle, she saw two women running over, one of them picked up the baby.

The woman looked around and asked, "Whose child is this? Whose child is this?"

Liao Chen and her nun were hidden from view by the trunk of an old banyan tree, so the woman did not see them.

The other woman said, "Mrs. Chen, haven’t you always wanted to give Afu a son to provide for him in his old age?"

The woman laughed and said, "Oh, that’s right, heaven truly has eyes!"

The two women quickly left with the baby.

Although Liao Chen was somewhat disappointed that the baby was taken away, she felt relieved that the child had been adopted.