Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 94 - 93: Awkwardness (For 200 Monthly Tickets+)

Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Awkwardness (For 200 Monthly Tickets+)

Manager Luo bowed and replied, "Master, I happened to come across Master Chen and Dabao and brought them with me. I thought Dabao could help keep Yan’er entertained, and Madam Chen could make some of Yan’er’s favorite Osmanthus Sticky Rice Dates."

Master Chu glanced at Chen Afu and Dabao, nodding slightly.

"Greetings Master Chu," Dabao paid his respects. He then turned to Chu Hanyan, "Yan’er, I brought Qi Qi and Hui Hui to play with you. They’ve learned two new phrases, and I’ll have them say them for you."

Chu Hanyan’s eyes had always been absent, unfocused. Yet, hearing Chen Dabao’s words, she turned her eyes to him twice before shifting them away. It looked as if she was looking at something behind him, yet also as if she was looking at something in the distance.

This left Dabao feeling dejected. Why did Yan’er just fleetingly glance at him? Wasn’t he the most handsome and charming youth in Xiangluo Village?

What Dabao didn’t know was that Master Chu was overwhelmed with joy. He had long heard from Manager Luo that Jin Yanzi was this child’s doll. Outside of himself, her mother, Mrs. Xu, and the Yanzi doll, Dabao was the only one who captured her gaze and someone she wouldn’t resist.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xu really was from another place. She found an excuse to dump that huge Yanzi doll, causing Yan to be extremely upset. Master Chu felt guilty for not immediately firing her when he got back to his estate. He harbored a small hope and wanted to wait for the right people to come and then get rid of her. But unfortunately, other things happened instead.

Now, with this child here, Yan’er might feel much better.

Then, something even more unbelievable happened. Chu Hanyan’s eyes were wide open, staring at Chen Afu who had approached her. She reached out her hand, and murmured, "Bird... fly away, bird... fly away, gone..."

Chen Afu froze. She wasn’t the Gold Swallow.

Master Chu felt a rush of elation. Besides him and her mother, Chen Afu was the only one his daughter has actively reached out to, and she even said so many words.

He looked at his daughter’s gaze fixated on Chen Afu and the pretty young woman standing in front of him, dressed modestly but elegantly. Manager Luo had brought her here, so she must be suitable. He hesitated before moving closer to Chen Afu and handed Chu Hanyan over.

Initially, Chen Afu was dazed, so when Master Chu approached her, she took a step back in fear. Seeing Master Chu’s face darken, and the warmth in his eyes quickly fade away, she quickly composed herself and reached out to take Chu Hanyan.

Chu Hanyan had been side-facing while in Master Chu’s arms, so when Chen Afu took her, she remained sideways.

As soon as the young girl entered Chen Afu’s bosom, she grabbed at Chen Afu’s clothes and started rubbing her face against Chen Afu’s chest, like a baby looking for a nipple. After a few rubs, she seemed to find what she’d been looking for, and stopped moving with her nose and mouth pressing against Chen Afu.

Being publicly "assaulted" in such a way, Chen Afu felt humiliated and angered, her expression rigid and her face turning as red as a cooked shrimp. She was tempted to throw the young girl away.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Afu understood the reason behind it. She had a handkerchief soaked in the fragrance of agarwood in her bosom. Although the smell was faint, Chu Hanyan could still detect it. That was probably why she started calling Chen Afu "bird" as soon as she saw her. As both Chen Afu and Jin Yanzi had the same fragrance, Chu Hanyan must have associated the smell with Jin Yanzi. Despite her unclear mind, the girl’s sense of smell was incredibly sharp.

But this sequence, was too, too embarrassing. It was a good thing that she, as an older woman, had a thicker skin. If it were a more sensitive girl, she might have burst into tears from embarrassment.

Chu Lingxuan was taken aback by his daughter’s actions, his face flushing with embarrassment. He coughed lightly into his fist, avoiding eye contact. "Um ... thank you all, take Yan’er to play in the room."

Upon hearing this, Chen Afu swiftly hurried off to a private room carrying Chu Hanyan.

She felt her encounters with this "hero" were nothing short of disastrous. Upon their first meeting, she was a dirtied and downtrodden fool. This time, the encounter was all the more awkward and humiliating.

Dabao followed her into the room; Qi Qi and Hui Hui also hurried in after them.

The room was elegantly and refreshingly adorned, permeating a faint scent of agarwood. On the rosewood Luohan bed were two swallow toys handcrafted by Chen Afu, a few more scattered on the multi-tiered shelf and rosewood round table, even hanging from the lanterns on the ceiling. Smiling swallow figures truly were everywhere.

From this decoration, it seemed like this stoic "hero" really was smitten with his daughter.

In the courtyard, Chu Lingxuan and Manager Chen exchanged a few words. He then left the Yuetao Pavilion. Before leaving, Manager Chen mentioned that Chen Afu and her child had not eaten yet to his daughter-in-law, Wei Wei.

Chu Hanyan, having had her afternoon meal, was in her typical slot for an afternoon nap. Breathed in the comforting scent, she glanced at Dabao next to her and Qi Qi and Hui Hui on the table, her eyes becoming drowsy.

She was about to sleep.

Chen Afu picked her up and walked a few rounds inside the room, and she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Mrs. Wei, smiling, lifted the pearl curtain of the bedroom, indicating for Chen Afu to put Chu Hanyan in bed to rest.

Hanging outside the north window of the bedroom was a birdcage, the Ten Brocade Sparrow that she had gifted was inside. It gazed outside its cage like a proud princess, singing softly. Compared to the other singing birds, its conduct and manner were distinctly different.

A jade-inlaid carved table sat beneath the window, upon it were two medium-sized swallow toys. Directly in front stood a rosewood carved wardrobe, and hanging from the handles on the wardrobe doors were two small swallow toys fluttering their wings.

A jade-inlaid carved bed with a rose-burnished gauzy mosquito net embroidered with gardenias, was tucked into the rightmost corner of the room. The bed bore a large swallow toy identical to those she made. But with one look, Chen Afu could tell it wasn’t the one she made—its colors were much fresher, and the sewing was far superior.

Next to the bed was a carved vanity, on top of which was a round glass mirror Chen Afu thought she would never see again. Tucked by the wall was a tall table, topped with a wide-mouthed vase with a pink glaze, holding a few bright and fresh chrysanthemums.

Such an affluent and pampered Miss Chu was saddled with such an illness, a pity indeed.

Chen Afu came to the side of the bed, gently laying the Miss on it, and covered her with the silk quilt.

When they returned to the main room, Chen Afu thought about the Yanchen Fragrant Leaves within the toy — a treasure not found in this world. If they could find that toy, even if the toy couldn’t be used by Miss Chu, they could take out the leaves. So, she asked Mrs. Wei, "Where is the original large toy?"