Shen Qingru’s expression darkened, and her tone became cool. “Miss Chang, one may eat indiscriminately, but one must not speak recklessly. Since we arrived at the Chang family home, every drop of water we have used and every grain of rice we have eaten has been paid for with silver. How have we been staying for free?”
Chang Tingting’s face flushed red. Madam Zhang glared at her and said, “Ting’er is young and speaks without thinking. Please don’t take it to heart, Miss.”
Shen Qingru raised a delicate eyebrow but remained silent. Chang Tingting was young? She was actually a year older than her. Madam Zhang realized this herself at that moment, and despite her thick skin, her face couldn’t help but burn.
Mrs. Yang chuckled awkwardly. “We’re all family; there’s no need to calculate things so precisely. Tingting was just being quick-tongued; she didn’t mean anything by it.”
Shen Qingru only offered a thin smile. The atmosphere became strained for a moment.
Madam Zhang felt a wave of weariness. Why was this different from what she had imagined? She had thought that Shen Qingru, a mere slip of a girl, would be easy to handle. Shouldn’t she be tearfully grateful for their kindness by now? She had truly been too careless!
Bracing herself, she said, “Even though we have good intentions, we are a poor family after all. We still need to collect some silver to supplement the household expenses.”
Perhaps the voices had been a bit too loud, for the “little bun” was woken up. Opening his misty eyes and pouting his small mouth, his aggrieved little look was incredibly cute. Seeing him awake, Xiao Yu was coaxing him with a rattle. Shen Qingru squeezed his soft little hand and asked nonchalantly, “How much does the Old Madam want?”
Madam Zhang gritted her teeth. “Three hundred taels. I’ll sell those rooms to you.”
What a massive appetite. Shen Qingru lowered her head to hide the mockery in her eyes. “Three hundred taels? For that price, one could buy a courtyard in the county seat.”
Madam Zhang’s eyes dimmed. “Houses in the county seat aren’t as quiet or scenic as they are here. There are several acres of fertile land behind that old house; I’ll give those to you as well. It will be convenient for you to grow some food. It’s right next to Zhuzi’s house, so it will be easy for Xiao Ji’er to nurse in the future.”
Shen Qingru sounded somewhat regretful. “Hearing the Old Madam say so, it truly is a fine place. Unfortunately, it’s too expensive; I can’t afford it.” She truly had no money. Xiao Ji’er had been born with a weak constitution, and she had Aunt Lan buy many precious medicinal herbs, which had cost most of her silver.
Madam Zhang naturally did not believe her. Although she knew Aunt Lan brewed medicine every day, she assumed it was just common herbs that could be bought for a few silver coins. She only thought Shen Qingru was being stingy. “Miss, don’t fool an old woman like me. Everything you wear is of the highest quality. Any single item could be exchanged for quite a bit of silver. How could you not afford it?”
Shen Qingru’s heart was full of the “little bun’s” pitiful gaze, and she grew impatient with them. “No matter how much the Old Madam says, I cannot afford it. Let’s not waste any more breath.”
Madam Zhang refused to give up and was about to speak again when she suddenly heard Aunt Lan’s angry voice: “If the Old Madam wants us to leave so badly, we’ll move out tomorrow.”
Aunt Lan had just returned from buying things in the county seat and had overheard the last part of the conversation. She was both angry and helpless. In the past, even the household managers would have been treated with great respect. Who would have dared to speak to the Young Lady in such a coercive manner? She knew things were different now, but the thought of her Young Lady being bullied before she had even finished her confinement month made it impossible to suppress the fire in her heart.
In her eyes, the Young Lady she had watched grow up was perfect in every way. Although Shen Qingru had handled herself well and hadn’t suffered a loss—often leaving these people speechless—Aunt Lan still felt her mistress was being wronged. “Why come to bother our Young Lady? Though she is easy-going, she isn’t someone just anyone can bully.”
“Who bullied her? It’s clearly her bullying us!” Chang Tingting felt aggrieved. On her own, she was more talkative than the three of them combined!
Aunt Lan said coldly, “Miss Chang is being quite impolite. When I am speaking with the Old Madam, it’s better for a junior not to interrupt.”
Aunt Lan was originally from a Marquis’s Manor and was accustomed to managing maidservants and old biddies. Her imposing aura was incomparable to that of ordinary people. When she truly grew angry, even Madam Zhang couldn’t help but feel startled, let alone Chang Tingting. Tingting snorted with false bravado but ultimately didn’t dare to speak further.
Mrs. Yang also remained silent and submissive. Madam Zhang could only force a smile. “What are you saying? We were just afraid Miss Shen was bored and came to keep her company. Why speak of leaving?” A tael of silver a day was equal to their family’s monthly income. How could she bear to let them leave?
She stood up and said, “We’ve finished our chat. It just so happens Aunt Lan is back, so we’ll be going. Miss Shen, please rest well.”
Aunt Lan’s face remained cold. “Since we have paid the silver, please follow the rules, Old Madam, and do not come over without reason. Even an inn does not allow people to enter as they please.”
Although Madam Zhang was angry, she could only agree with a smile. She led Chang Tingting and Mrs. Yang away dejectedly.
The three returned to their room dispirited. Madam Zhang had been the head of the household for decades; when had she ever been ridiculed like this? She felt she had lost all face, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Mrs. Yang observed her expression and kept her head down in silence. Madam Zhang glanced at her, and seeing her daughter-in-law remained submissive, her mood improved slightly.
However, Mrs. Lyu was tactless. She had been waiting anxiously, and seeing the three return, she hurried to meet them. “Mother, is it done? Where’s the money?”
Hearing the word “money” touched a nerve. Madam Zhang cursed, “Money, money, money! All you know is money! What sin did I commit in my past life to marry my son to such a spendthrift wife? Do you think money is blown in by the wind? If you have this much free time, you’d be better off finding something to do. Not only are you lazy, you can’t even lay an egg! After all these years, the second branch only has one seedling. I was truly blind to let you into this family.”
Mrs. Lyu was stunned by the sudden torrent of abuse.
Seeing her looking so stupid made Madam Zhang even angrier. “Go get dinner ready! Do you want your man to come home and starve?”
Mrs. Lyu could only swallow her anger and go to cook. She slopped something together that was worse than pig slop, and she was scolded again at the dinner table.
Once the others had gone, Aunt Lan’s expression finally softened. “Miss, next time they come, just kick them out. Since they have no shame themselves, why should we show them any courtesy?”
Shen Qingru nodded in agreement; if she weren’t still living at the Chang family home, she would have done so long ago.
Aunt Lan felt much better after receiving Shen Qingru’s support. She said happily, “Miss, look what I managed to buy this time!”
Shen Qingru had already caught a sweet and sour scent. “Is it sour date cakes?” She had been a bit averse to food lately and craved this specific taste.
“Miss has a keen nose.” Aunt Lan opened the oil paper to reveal rows of translucent little cakes, arranged neatly and looking very tempting. “I went twice before and couldn’t find them. As luck would have it, I came across them today.”
Shen Qingru first offered a piece to Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu declined at first, but after Aunt Lan’s persuasion, she took it carefully. She took a small bite; it was soft, fragrant, sweet, and sour. She squinted her eyes in happiness; it was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten.