This chapter is not a repeat, but I previously missed 52 chapters, so I just added them in. Everyone can take a look back, it's still a bit disjointed. I know I'm a big shrimp and shouldn't have made such a low-level mistake, please forgive me~!

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  Xie Wan took Wu Mama and Yu Xue to attend Wang Jia Shu Taiye's birthday banquet, and let Luo Ju hurry up with the carriage.

  Wang Lao Tai Ye was originally named Da Niu. After Wang Shi married into the Xie family, Wang Da Niu asked the village's old scholar to change his name to Wang Ben.

  Wang Bi was actually a scattered longevity, traditionally not requiring grand arrangements. However, the Wang family had an able and diligent nephew who worked as a Hanlin, and Wang Bi couldn't contain his excitement. Afraid that the rural people wouldn't understand what the Hanlin Academy was or what position the compiler held, he decided to take advantage of his birthday to announce it to the village.

  The Wang family was in Tianzhuang, where the terrain is very open.

  Xie Qigong, confident in his status, would not attend such a banquet. The Wang family, apart from being relatives of the Xie family, were no different from ordinary small landowners. They only knew local landowners and didn't even know two county gentry. However, with Xie Rong's promotion, today even two hundred households from the county's Wei Suo came with gifts.

  Xie Wan and her companions arrived, and the entire Wangjia Village became lively.

  Wang Ben's wife, Liu, was also from a farming family. Although she was over 50 years old, her legs were still very agile due to her being accustomed to doing household chores. After leading Xie Wan and the other young girls to the side room, she quickly rushed to the main house to entertain Wang Shi and Ruan Shi Huang, while shouting at her daughter-in-law He Shi to hurry up with serving tea, pouring water, and handing out handkerchiefs.

  He's at least a young lady, and the Wang family isn't without servants. Liu had been yelling all day and was trying to be elegant in front of the Xie family, but as soon as she turned her back, she forgot. As soon as she made a sound in the front yard, the entire Wang mansion heard what she said.

  Wang Anmei and her sisters were accompanying the three Xie girls in a small boudoir. When they heard Liu's loud shouting, Wang Anmei's face turned slightly awkward. Xie Wei, being a dignified young lady, naturally pretended not to have heard anything. Xie Qi was pulled by Wang Si Mei to chat and didn't notice either. Only Xie Juan stared with her mouth agape at the outside window, looking utterly embarrassed.

  Wang Anmei stood up and pushed her way out of the door, saying she was going to get some fruit.

  Arriving at the deserted gate, I suddenly realized that my family's disregard for my mother was all because of me. Even on a day like today, they wouldn't even give her a bit of face in front of outsiders, and I couldn't help but feel a deep sorrow.

  "What's wrong with the big girl?"

  Suddenly someone asked afterwards.

  Wang Anmei hastily wiped away her tears and turned around, only to see a slightly plump woman in her thirties. She recognized her as Wu Mama, who was beside Xie Zhu. She forced a smile and said, "Nothing's wrong. I just got sand in my eyes when I went out. Where are you headed, Wu Mama?" She looked at the delicate tea cup in Wu Mama's hand.

  Madam Wu smiled apologetically and said, "Our young lady has had a habit since childhood - whenever she goes out, she must bring her own tea cup. Just now, the maids brewed some tea but she refused to drink it. Let me see where there's hot water, I'll brew another cup of tea for her."

  Wang Anmei recalled Xie Wan staring blankly out of the window earlier and felt a bit uneasy in her heart.

  I didn't expect someone like her, who doesn't even know how to hide her emotions or consider others' feelings, yet lives such a meticulous life. She's able to be this way because she was probably spoiled by her parents and older brother since childhood. Although her parents are now dead, she still has an older brother who dotes on her.

  And what about her? Apart from her mother, no one in the family had ever shown her a kind face. But her mother didn't even have the strength to protect herself, let alone her daughter. Even her own younger sister often couldn't resist making snide comments about her. If she hadn't been born with such an unspeakable defect, the family would probably have abandoned her long ago, fearing that others would find out and lose face.

  It's really different people have different fates.

  Deeply moved in heart, I forgot to move my feet.

  Madam Wu was also a worldly person. Seeing her expression, she also sensed something. So she softened her tone and said: "Miss, it seems like you have some worries?"

  Wang Anmei hastily looked away, shaking her head.

  Madam Wu smiled and said: "Miss is indeed a lovely and elegant young lady, I couldn't help but feel delighted at the sight of you."

  In terms of status, the Xie family was far superior to the Wang family, and although Wang Anmei was a young lady, Wu Mama's words did not overstep her bounds.

  Wang Anmei's heart was even more like a knife twisting inside her, and she lowered her head even further.

  Wu's mother suddenly changed the subject and asked: "I don't know where the tea is being brewed, which way should I go?"

  She finally lifted her head and nodded: "In the kitchen over there. I'll take you."

  Wu's mother poured tea back, Xie Wei had already left, and Wang Si Mai was accompanying Xie Qi to play Go.

  Xie Wan sat on the edge of the kang, idly examining the carvings on the table and chairs. Seeing Wu Mama come in, she stood up and said: "I'm going to wash my hands." She walked out of the room.

  Wu's mother brought out tea and followed, arriving at the small courtyard behind the banana tree. She looked around cautiously and said in a low voice: "I've made some inquiries, it seems that she has been bullied by the Wang family, and her temperament is completely different from Wang Si Mei. Moreover, I saw two new scars on her collar, which look like they were caused by a rattan whip."

  Those who are used to staying at home can be identified at a glance whether they have been whipped, beaten with sticks or scalded.

  Xie Wan nodded and said after a moment of contemplation: "Think of a way to get her to stay for a while and help me out."

  Since they want to get close, there must be a reason for it. She and her age are quite different, unlike Xie Qi and Wang Si Mei, who can easily get together. Both parties need to establish a relationship, so some effort is required. Although it's also possible to directly ask Wu Mama to secretly ask about her intentions, because she's from the Wang family, Xie Zhuang doesn't just want to marry her into the Zhao family, so every step must be carefully planned.

  But with Wu Mama and Yu Xue here, these are all small matters.

  At noon, when the girls were having lunch together, Xie Wan spilled soup on her clothes. Wang Anmei, who was sitting on the left side, naturally stood up to help wipe it off and took her into the house to change her clothes. Xie Wan was extremely grateful and repeatedly said: "Wang sister is really a good person, she even lent me her handkerchief to wipe my hands. Next time you come to the mansion, be sure to find me at Yifeng Hall, I will return it to you after washing it clean."

  Wang Anmei hastily waved her hand: "No need, no need." It was just an ordinary handkerchief, why would her elder sister remember it so clearly.

  Xie Wan carefully folded the handkerchief and handed it over to Yu Xue, then promised to return it to her until they got on the carriage.

  Wang Anmei naturally wouldn't take her words to heart. The other party was the naive and romantic Miss Xie, if she knew what kind of person she was, she would probably escape in a hurry, why bother going to great lengths to make friends with her? When Wang Si Mei continued to run back and forth to the Xie residence every two or three days, she still stayed hidden in her own room doing needlework.

  But she didn't go to Xie's house, and Xie Wan would have someone from Wangjia Village come find her here.

  In just a few days, Yu Fang returned her handkerchief as ordered by Xie Wan. To express her gratitude, she also sent three more embroidered silk handkerchiefs that she had made herself.

  Wang Anmei insisted on not accepting, Yufang said: "It's just a few pieces of cloth, our young lady is giving you the hand-embroidered ones as a gift, it's just to express her desire to make friends with Miss Wang. If you don't accept, it would seem too impolite."

  Wang Anmei was hesitant and undecided.

  Yu Fang continued, "Our young lady also said that she knows your situation is difficult and you probably don't have many friends usually, so she entrusted me to inform Lady Wang. Because of the good deed Lady Wang did that day, this friend has been secured for her. If you have any messages to bring to her, just send them to Maoji Silk Store in Li Zihutong, inside the city."

  Wang Anmei felt inexplicably flustered.

  She thought Xie Wan was just a momentary infatuation, having stayed in the city for a long time and suddenly coming to such a place in the countryside, meeting someone like her, feeling very novel, so she paid special attention. Unexpectedly, she could say "Miss's situation is difficult", what does this indicate that she knew?

  "What else did San, the third daughter-in-law say?" she murmured.

  Yu Fang smiled and said, "We girls always say that the road in this world is full of ups and downs, who has everything go their way? Our girl says she and you, Wang Nang, actually have a deep affection for each other."

  Wang Anmei was stunned. She hadn't read any books, but she could also make out the meaning behind these flowery words.

  Is it saying that she actually doesn't despise her?

  Yu Fang left, Wang Anmei sat on the edge of the bed with those few handkerchiefs, still deep in thought for a long time.

  Anyway, courtesy demands reciprocity. Since Xie Wan embroidered a handkerchief and gave it to her, if she didn't show some appreciation, it would be too unreasonable.

  She remembered that Xie Wan's feet were not short, but the bones were thinner, so she made two pairs of thick winter shoes according to her own old shoe length and sent them to Li Zihutong, along with a basket of persimmons covered in white frost.

  Xie Wan received it and soon painted another portrait of her, putting it in Li Zihutong, instructing to hand it over to Wang Anmei when she comes again.

  Wang Anmei's face turned red with excitement when she saw her own portrait.

  She had never been painted like this before. She herself knew about the defects on her body since she was a child from her mother's mouth, and felt that the sky had fallen, so she hadn't even thought about it.

  Xie Wan felt that this portrait made her look even more beautiful than she did in real life, but it also opened a window for her to realize that she could actually have friends.

  From then on, every time she entered the city, she would come to Li Zihutong and bring some wild fruits and mountain goods for her. In fact, it was not much, because she knew that she lacked nothing, and sometimes only a handful of bright wild flowers were enough. However, whenever she heard from Luo Sheng's mouth that Xie Zhuo had received them and was very happy, her heart would also surge with inexplicable joy.

  Although Wang Ke still occasionally scolded and beat her under various pretexts, and would secretly look for buyers to sell her off, the ripples in life caused by Xie Wan had made her days not so completely devoid of hope.

  Xie Wan had no idea that her deliberate approach would bring such a huge change to Wang Anmei's spiritual world.

  She had no good feelings towards the Wang family at all. For her, even if Wang Anmei's life was pitiful, it was only a little pitiful, and she wouldn't sympathize with her because of that. Based on her surname being Wang, if it wasn't for the fact that she had some use in pulling Zhao Zhen over to their side, her sympathy wouldn't be bestowed upon her even half a bit.

  Because she always knew what she wanted.