Chapter 53: Tian Zhuang (Pink Ticket 240 Plus Update)

  Grandma and Father met, but there was nothing to say. Grandma just kept putting melons, fruits, and pastries into Father's hands: "......This is from the Li Ji roasted goods store in town......These are grown by ourselves at home, I specially fertilized them once in spring, the resulting melons are both fragrant and sweet, even if they're sold in town, they can't be as fresh as these..."

  The father smiled awkwardly. Yawen spoke with emotion.

  He doesn't like eating these things.

  He was raised by his stepmother, and apart from their natural blood relationship, they had no similarities in their daily habits or food preferences. Yet he still took the melon seeds in his hand and slowly cracked them open.

  Grandma also felt Father's unease, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across her smile as she said, "When are you coming to pick up Shougu?" After asking, she thought this question was not suitable, so she added, "I mean, I haven't read books or understood those rules of the wealthy families. It's okay for Shougu to come here and play occasionally, but if she stays here for a long time, it might delay her."

  Father said, "When I've arranged everything on my side, I'll come to pick up Shougu." He thought for a moment and added, "I also think it's not good for her to follow Wangshi. The sixth aunt on that side is very kind and gets along well with Shougu. Since I still have to stay in Kyoto for several years, I'm thinking of letting her follow the sixth aunt instead."

  Grandma nodded: "It's also good this way! I've heard that Mrs. Liu is from a big family in Jiangnan, and sometimes even the old lady can't make up her mind about things and will go ask Mrs. Liu, yet everyone praises her, it's clear that Mrs. Liu is a very capable person, Shougu following her will also gain some experience." As she spoke, she mentioned Father's birth mother, "If you hadn't grown up in front of her, how would you be where you are today?"

  Father lowered his head and smiled: "Mother is very good to me."

  "I knew," said Grandma. "One time I sneaked a peek at you, and saw your wife hitting your palm with a bamboo stick, asking if you dared to do it again. You said you didn't dare, with tears in your eyes. But as soon as she put down the stick, you made a face at her and asked if you could go out and play... From then on, I was truly relieved."

  Dou Shiying and Dou Zhao were both unaware of this matter, and upon hearing it, they were left staring in shock.

  "Wouldn't it be great if Madam could live a few more years!"

  His father's eyes turned red.

  "Look at me, what's the point of saying these things? You rarely come here, so stay for lunch today. I'll have someone kill that old hen..."

  "No, no." Father said hastily. "There are still a lot of things at home, I have to go back early. Come see you again in a few days."

  Grandma thought for a moment and didn't say anything else to persuade me, saying: "Then I'll see you out!"

  Father's refusal, grandmother held Du Zhao's hand and saw off Du Shiying.

  The villagers were all curious about Father's identity. Hiding behind the door or in the corner, they would take a peek at Father, and some who had a good relationship with Grandmother would carry an empty bamboo basket and walk towards her with a pretended accidental encounter, smiling and bowing to Grandmother: "Master of the house, we have guests!"

  The whole village makes a living by helping their grandmothers farm, in Dòu's family, the grandmother is not respectable, but here,

  The grandmother straightened her waist and said "uh-huh". Nothing else was said.

  Duan Zhao had heard from Cui Da's wife before that when his grandmother first arrived at the Tianzhuang, there were people who said all sorts of things about her. The people of the Cui family took offense on behalf of their grandmother, but she stopped them and said, "You've done enough. Don't let others speak." Her attitude was calm and composed. She didn't look down on those who flattered her, nor did she intentionally make things difficult for those who had spoken ill of her. Good or bad, it all depended on whose crops were harvested well. When the harvest was poor, Grandmother would sometimes waive their rent. If a child from any family wanted to study, she would provide financial support; if they wanted to find an apprenticeship in a shop, she would arrange it for them. Over time, Grandmother gradually earned the respect of these people. Later, when some people from Tianzhuang decided to follow Duan Zhao to Kyoto, it was entirely because of their regard for his grandmother. To be honest, Duan Zhao benefited from his grandmother's reputation.

  Go up the mountain to catch birds and go down to the river to catch fish.

  In the beautiful May, Du Zhao reviewed the memory of his life in Tianzhuang.

  But she's no longer that naive kid, after just two or three days of work, she's exhausted and her whole body aches when she moves her arm.

  "What should we do?"

  "It's okay if she moves a lot." Grandma smiled and said, "She doesn't move enough." Then she pulled Du Zhao, "Come on, let's go catch bugs for the melon seedlings with me."

  Dòu Zhāo doesn't want to go.

  The girl naturally protected her.

  "Ah, she's just a young girl now, if she doesn't work hard and build up her body, how can she expect to have healthy children in the future? Look at those rich families' daughters, so many of them die in childbirth because they're afraid of losing their figure after getting pregnant. But it's exactly that fear that leads to more problems! And look at our village women, how many of them have difficult births? Only those who are malnourished!" The old lady sighed with infinite regret.

  Dong Zhao recalled his past life... It really was just like his grandmother said, although his body had been injured, he hadn't died from it.

  If you don't cherish it well, the advantages of your previous life may not come to you for no reason. And if you misjudge yourself because of this, it will be a terrible thing.

  She struggled to get up from the kang, weakly saying: "I'll go with you to catch insects."

  The grandmother smiled contentedly.

  Tuo Niang, Hai Tang, Qiu Kui, Mo Li, Xuan Cao, and also the servant of grandmother's, that Hong Gu who helped grandmother get off the horse cart, followed behind them like a string of rice dumplings.

  They went to catch the most beautiful green insect this time.

  Haitang and several others were frightened into shrill cries, even Tuo Niang's face changed greatly.

  Dong Zhao burst out laughing, found a pair of chopsticks, and picked up one after another, soon filling a plate with green insects.

  She scared Haitang: "Later use oil to fry and eat!"

  The peony leaned against the wall and vomited violently.

  Grandma smiled and scolded Du Zhao: "Don't ever say such things again."

  Hong Guo praised: "She is indeed the granddaughter of the Dong family."

  Her grandmother's face sank, saying: "This time I'll pretend I didn't hear it, if I hear such words again. You can go back to your own home!"

  Hong's face turned pale with fright.

  "Without rules, how can you become a square and round! Fourth Miss is still young, whatever you say to her, she thinks it's true. When she returns to the Duan family, they will tell her otherwise. Who do you want her to listen to? It will only harm the child." Her voice gradually lowered as she spoke. "Moreover, her grandfather has always looked down on her father's humble origins. If she makes another mistake, it will only make her grandfather look down on her father even more."

  "Master, it's all my fault." Hong Gu said, and was about to kneel down to apologize.

  Grandma picked her up with one hand: "You're just a small concubine of the Dugu family, and you're not even worth eight taels. You don't have to be like this. Just be more careful when speaking in the future."

  Hong nodded repeatedly: "I know."

  Dòu Zhāo looked at him and thought of Dòu Míng.

  The same thing, Grandma and Wang Yingshuai had completely different reactions.

  In her past life, she always thought that Du Ming was happier than her.

  In this life, she re-examined herself. For the first time, she felt that she was happier than Du Ming.

  In her previous life, Dou Ming had a mother who maintained her everywhere. As long as she wanted something, Wang Yingxue would fight for it, no matter the cost or sacrifice. However, this upbringing made Dou Ming develop an arrogant and domineering personality. Without Wang Yingxue's protection, all Dou Ming knew how to do was shout loudly and throw tantrums. She couldn't do anything else, and a good marriage had been messed up by her, becoming a pitiful sight. Yet she didn't know where the problem lay, only knowing how to blame others.

  Although she no longer has a mother, she has a loving grandmother who influences her life with simple and practical methods, teaching her to never give up in adversity, not to be proud in prosperity, how to protect herself, and how to strive for happiness.

  She took a deep breath involuntarily.

  No more resentment in my heart.

  She was even grateful to her father who had sent her to Tianzhuang.

  In her previous life, no matter what his purpose was, she benefited from it anyway.

  Suddenly, Duan Zhao's heart surged with vast and majestic clouds.

  She knelt down sincerely in front of the small Guanyin shrine and thanked her wholeheartedly for her blessings.

  The Haitang beside her asked quietly, "When are we going back?" Her voice was trembling with tears.

  Tuo Niang glared at her fiercely: "You want to go back, I'll tell Aunt Cui tomorrow and have you sent back alone."

  The sea peach shrinks beside and does not dare to speak.

  Dong Zhaonan couldn't help but laugh.

  She had already met Cui Da, who helped her manage the estate in her previous life. She hadn't seen Cui Thirteen yet, who was known as "the one who knows everything" and managed the affairs of the Jin Ning Marquis's mansion. There was also Zhao Gou Sheng, originally named Zhao Dog Leftover, who later changed his name to Zhao Liangbi and helped her manage the shop. And then there were her personal maids, Gan Lu and Su Xiang...

  But none of these are urgent.

  Dong Zhao was thinking about Tuo Niang's marriage.

  In her previous life, Tuo Niang was sold to

  A woman surnamed Li married into a family as a daughter-in-law, the man was over ten years older than her and had a disability. In the second year after marrying in, she gave birth to a son, three more years passed, the village was hit by an epidemic, her husband and child both died, her mother-in-law said she was inauspicious for her husband and wanted to sell her off.

  She fled overnight and thought of going to the Duan family for a meal.

  After a year of traveling, she finally arrived in Zhending and heard nothing but rumors about her mother's misdeeds.

  She finally found herself in indignation.

  It was also because of this that her body suffered too much and she passed away at the age of thirty-seven.

  In this life, Tuo Niang stayed in the Duan family and changed her name to "Su Xiang".

  She had turned twenty after the New Year.

  In the Duan family, at her age, she should have been married off long ago, but because she was her own favorite personal maid, the elders in the household pretended not to know and let her quietly serve by her side.

  Dong Zhao asked his grandmother: "Can you help find a good family for Tuo Niang? Yu Xiang is already married."

  Grandma laughed and said she was "small but had a big temper".

  That's the difference between Grandma and those Dous.

  If she were from a noble family, they would probably ask her "who told you to say this" as soon as she spoke.

  Grandma never maliciously guessed at other people's thoughts, she felt that even if it was Tuo Niang's intention, Tuo Niang's request was reasonable and should be taken seriously.

  ※

  Sisters, I saw the pink ticket and knew you guys assigned me homework again... Then I'll ask everyone for a leave, tonight I'm going to my uncle's house for reunion dinner, can't control the time, tonight's update might be delayed, of course, it's best if I can rush back in time. Please understand, let's read books tomorrow morning.

  Wish you all a happy new year, a smooth and auspicious snake year, and good luck in everything!

  ※RQ