On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Jingrong, accompanied by Fu Yunshen, returned to Zhou's mansion to visit relatives. They brought a lot of gifts, and Old Man Zhou couldn't close his mouth happily, and pulled the two of them to talk affectionately.

Fu Yunshen is very knowledgeable and good at business, no matter what topic Master Zhou says, he can catch it, and he is not cold, and he smiles happily.

It wasn't until noon that Zhou Jingrong didn't see Zhou Jingshu, so he asked Master Zhou strangely: "Dad, why don't you see Shu Niang?" ”

Speaking of Zhou Jingshu, the smile on Master Zhou's face faded: "Oh, she went to visit her aunt." ”

Zhou Jingshu cried and begged Master Zhou every day before the year, hoping that he could take Aunt Xue back for the New Year. It's not that Master Zhou hasn't been compassionate, but when he thinks of Zhou Jingrong's grievances, he has to harden his heart.

It's only been a long time, he has forgiven Aunt Xue, and Zhou Jingrong will definitely be cold.

Master Zhou's guess was right, if he really brought Aunt Xue back, Zhou Jingrong would not return today.

However, fortunately, Master Zhou was measured and did not forgive Aunt Xue so easily.

The Zhou Mansion greeted the eldest girl and the eldest aunt back to the door lively, and the family was harmonious, naturally no one cared about Aunt Xue and Zhou Jingshu's mother and daughter, who were far away in Zhuangzi, seeing each other with tears in their eyes, speechless and choking.

However, in just two months, Aunt Xue is already showing her old age.

Dressed in coarse linen clothes, her face is full of wrinkles, and her hands, which used to be pampered, are now covered with coarse flesh cocoons, no different from those of a country woman. She didn't dare to touch Zhou Jingshu's face if she wanted to, for fear of wearing out her daughter's delicate skin.

Zhou Jingshu looked at Aunt Xue in disbelief, covered her mouth and shed big tears, her voice trembled: "Mother, how can this be?" ”

She thought that even if Aunt Xue was driven to Zhuangzi, she would be the master, and someone would have to serve her, at most, the living conditions were almost poor, but she never thought that it would be like this.

Aunt Xue wiped the corners of her eyes and sighed.

The Zhuangzi is full of working servants, but there are no maids to serve her. Besides, her identity is a concubine who is disgusted by the master, and she is not treated well, and no one takes her seriously at all.

She lives here, and can only do rough work like others, and she has to be secretly oppressed and deducted by those housekeepers.

There is also Mrs. Song who hates her because Song Tinglan was used as a shield by Zhou Jingshu, since Aunt Xue took the initiative to take on this matter, Mrs. Song vented her resentment on her.

Mrs. Song secretly planted people on Zhuangzi and tortured Aunt Xue, making her life even more difficult when she was already walking on thin ice.

The mother and daughter hugged their heads and cried, and their hearts were sad.

After crying, Zhou Jingshu said to Aunt Xue with tears in her eyes: "Mother, I must find a way to take you out of here." But I'm going to marry in Wuxian County in the next year, and I'm afraid I won't be able to reach it. What should I do, mother, I don't want to get married! ”

Aunt Xue didn't want Zhou Jingshu to marry far away, firstly, she was reluctant to give up her daughter, and secondly, if Zhou Jingshu was too far away from Puhe County, she would not be able to count on her.

However, Zhou Jingshu's marriage was set by Master Zhou, and it was imminent, what else could she do?

Zhou Jingshu pulled Aunt Xue and begged: "Mother, you know, my daughter is happy with Wu Gongzi, and she doesn't want to marry someone she doesn't like, so she lives aggrieved." Mother, can you help me think of a way, quit this marriage, and let Wu Gongzi marry me, okay? Mother, please! ”

This kind of thing can be done if Aunt Xue wants to do it, but listening to her daughter's crying and weighing the two, her heart began to waver.

The Wu family is closer to Puhe County than Wu County, and Wu Mingyue is famous, and his social status is much higher than that of the son of a merchant that Zhou Jingshu originally promised.

If Zhou Jingshu can marry him, as long as he asks Master Zhou for a word, she can leave this ghost place and continue to return to Zhou's mansion as a hostess.

Aunt Xue thought of this, and secretly made up her mind, a trace of cruelty flashed in her eyes, but her voice was soft: "Shu Niang, don't worry, my mother will do her best to let you get what you want." ”

Wu Mingyue didn't know that he was being targeted, and after the New Year, he visited Fu's mansion again with a cart of gifts, one was to pay New Year's greetings, and the other was to go to Beijing with Fu Yunshen to catch the exam.

The time for the test is in mid-March, and Fu Yunshen plans to start on the road in early February. Wu Mingyue can live in Fu Mansion for more than a month, and there will be more opportunities to meet Fu Raohua. He came to the Fu Mansion in advance, not for this purpose.

Fu Raohua was originally a lively character, but recently she has been in a good mood to fly, often humming unknown tunes in her mouth, and she can laugh out loud in a daze.

"What good things did Cousin Yue give you again?"

"It's nothing, it's just a wood carving." Fu Raohua subconsciously finished answering, and then suddenly reacted and looked at the person in a panic.

Seeing that it was Zhou Jingrong, she stroked her chest and breathed a sigh of relief: "Second sister-in-law! You scare me! ”

Zhou Jingrong teased: "What are you afraid of, tell me honestly, what have you done to be unsightly?" ”

Fu Raohua's face turned red, and she said coquettishly: "Second sister-in-law, you will make fun of me." ”

Zhou Jingrong winked at her again and asked, "Why don't you go with your cousin Yue, but you have time to come to me?" ”

The flush on Fu Raohua's face did not disappear, and she said shyly: "Second sister-in-law, I want to learn to make jade snow rolls, can you teach me?" ”

Yuxue roll is actually fried yogurt, but Zhou Jingrong can't make yogurt, so he uses goat's milk instead. This pastry originally had no name, but Fu Yunshen took it as a jade snow roll.

However, Zhou Jingrong only did it once, and she learned the string song, and then she didn't do it herself if she wanted to eat it. And after the improvement of the string song, the taste is better than before, and her current craftsmanship is not as good as the string song.

Zhou Jingrong told Fu Raohua truthfully, Fu Raohua didn't stand up, and humbly asked Xian Ge for advice: "Xian Ge, I want to ask you to teach me how to make jade snow rolls, is it okay?" ”

Xian Ge was frightened, and hurriedly said: "Second girl, if you want to eat, the slave will make it for you." The slave can teach the production method to Sister Cuixiang, and the girl does not work herself. ”

Fu Raohua muttered in a low voice: "But I just want to do it myself!" ”

Zhou Jingrong couldn't hold it back any longer, and laughed: "Silly string song, why does she want to eat it herself." She wants to make it for someone to eat~"

Zhou Jingrong deliberately lengthened the end note, and the string song suddenly realized.

The color on Fu Raohua's face, which had finally faded, rose back, and she didn't say a few words, and Zhou Jingrong was teasing her every word.

She stomped her feet shyly, hurriedly pulled the string song and walked out, walked to the door and turned back and said, "Second sister-in-law, I want to go and complain to the second brother, saying that you bullied me, hum!" ”

Fu Raohua said this, but her mood was not affected at all. Even because of the joyful mood, even the footsteps were brisk, walking fast, and the maids such as Xian Ge and Cui Xiang trotted all the way behind her.

came to the kitchen, Fu Raohua unexpectedly met Lin Yan. Lin Yan came to Fu's mansion to pay New Year's greetings, brought some fresh fruits and vegetables, and sent them directly to the kitchen.

Fu Raohua has always remembered Lin Yan's life-saving grace, and stepped forward to bow to Yingying: "Brother Lin." ”

Lin Yan was as polite as ever: "Second girl." ”

Since Fu Raohua fell into the water and was rescued by Lin Yan, the two have not met again.

During that time, there were some bad rumors about Fu Raohua and Lin Yan, and in order to avoid suspicion, Lin Yan could only reduce the number of visits to Fu's mansion, and tried his best to restrain the urge to see Fu Raohua, and deliberately avoided her.

After not seeing each other for a while, Fu Raohua looked at Lin Yan and added a sense of strangeness. In fact, they haven't seen each other many times before, but for some reason, this separation seems to have opened a long distance between them.

Lin Yan noticed Fu Raohua's alienation, he lowered his eyes lightly, hid the gloom in his eyes, and said in a muffled voice: "Second girl, I'm sorry for causing you trouble before." ”

Fu Raohua was stunned for a moment, and then a wave of grateful, guilty and sour inexplicable emotions surged in her heart, and she smiled bitterly: "Brother Lin said this, but do you want to make Raoniang unhappy?" You saved my life, this is a great kindness, how can you cause trouble. No matter what others say, we don't care anyway. ”

We...... Are you talking about her and Wu Gongzi?

An indescribable sourness surged through Lin Yan's chest, and his long figure shook, as if he couldn't stand steadily.

Fu Raohua was startled, subconsciously took a step forward, and stretched out her hand to help him. But she didn't want to stumble under her feet, and the whole person rushed forward, but Lin Yan grabbed her arm and held her.

"What are you doing?"

Fu Raohua was just about to say thank you, when she heard Wu Mingyue's voice behind her, which was cold and chilling, with uncontrollable anger.

Lin Yan hurriedly let go of Fu Raohua, and just as Fu Raohua was about to explain, Wu Mingyue had already stepped forward, and punched Lin Yan in the face without asking.

Lin Yan took a few steps back, he was able to stand firmly, he was defenseless and did not fight back, he was beaten raw, his face was pale, and a trace of blood overflowed from the corner of his lips.

"Cousin Yue!" Fu Raohua screamed in shock, grabbed Wu Mingyue, and was shocked and angry: "What are you doing?" ”

Wu Mingyue's face turned blue, looked at Lin Yan with hatred, and said coldly: "He touched you." ”

Fu Raohua took a hard breath and patiently explained: "I almost fell, but Brother Lin just helped me. Cousin Yue, you misunderstood. ”

Wu Mingyue always looked at Lin Yan directly, and a trace of chill oozed from his smiling expression: "Oh, is it? ”

Fu Raohua originally thought that Wu Mingyue had a misunderstanding because of Lin Yan's support for her, as long as she explained it clearly, it would be fine. She also wanted Wu Mingyue to apologize to Lin Yan, but looking at the current situation, it was impossible to apologize.

Fu Raohua apologized to Lin Yan on behalf of Wu Mingyue: "I'm sorry, Brother Lin, Cousin Yue is just impulsive, I hope you can forgive me." ”

"Girl!" Wu Mingyue saw Fu Raohua apologizing to Lin Yan, and he was even more angry, and unceremoniously pointed at Lin Yan and said to Fu Raohua: "He has a covetous heart for you, and he is also a man, I can see from his eyes that he has bad intentions for approaching you, don't be deceived by him!" ”

Lin Yan's eyes trembled, and he buried his head deeper.

He is weak-hearted, knowing that Fu Raohua and Wu Mingyue have a marriage contract, but he still thinks about her, it is not a gentleman's doing, and he is not wronged by this punch.

Fu Raohua looked at Wu Mingyue angrily, her eyes full of reproach.

No matter what Lin Yan thinks, it's his own business, why did Wu Mingyue hurt others because of his own guesses? It's not right to beat someone for no reason, but he didn't even apologize, but blamed others.

Wu Mingyue didn't expect Fu Raohua to not be with him, and he was angry: "Okay, you are facing him, you are willing to be with him, then I will go!" ”

With that, he turned and strode away.