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Chen Feng expressed her gratitude and took the Guanyin Buddha statue.
Chu Lingxuan nodded and said, “I just returned home and haven’t had the chance to congratulate you. This is a congratulatory gift. Congratulations.” He then took out a red envelope from his pocket.
The Lord is truly a caring and considerate leader to his attendants.
Chen Feng took the red envelope, feeling its lightness, definitely containing silver bills. She smiled and said, “Thank you, Lord Chu.”
Chu Lingxuan added, “The Hongyun Hotpot Restaurant opened a few days ago in the capital and business is booming. If you plan to dine there, you’ll need to make a reservation in advance.”
Chen Feng was overjoyed to hear this news, her smile beaming. Steward Luo often received updates from the Hongyun Restaurant, and occasionally Yang Mingyuan would send someone with a message, seeking advice from Chen Feng.
She knew that Yang Mingyuan had rented a four-story storefront on a bustling street in the capital, spending all his savings on rent and renovations. The hotpot restaurant just opened on the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month… but she hadn’t expected the business to be this good.
Now she was about to make a fortune, just when she was worrying about her dwindling funds.
Seeing Chen Feng’s broad smile and gleaming white teeth, Chu Lingxuan found it somewhat amusing. This girl was completely genuine, the moment business started thriving, she became so joyous, which didn’t quite match her delicate appearance. Such a radiant smile, aside from giving it to Dabao and Hanyan, she also gave it to… money. It seemed that in the future, when giving her something, it shouldn’t be… gifts, but rather money.
Unaware of Chu Lingxuan’s amusement, Chen Feng only noticed his once aloof demeanor now frequently adorned with a slight smile. Though he only pursed his lips, the shallow dimples at the corners of his mouth were as lovely as those of Little Yan.
What she loved most about Little Chu Hanyan were those small dimples, the wider her smile, the deeper they became, and the more subtle her smile, the smaller they appeared. She particularly hoped that those little dimples would grow deeper, and that her smile would become even more radiant.
She seemed to notice that Chu Lingxuan’s dimples were deepening…
Startled by her own illusion, she hastily left the hall.
Outside the Serene Courtyard, Mrs. Wei was holding two wax plum blossoms by the roadside. Seeing her carrying the Buddha statue, she smiled and said, “Come, I’ll walk you home.”
The two of them chatted and laughed as they left the Tangyuan side gate, and within half an hour, they arrived at the Luyuan.
Chen Feng said, ” Abbess Liao Chen and Lord Chu both enjoy the braised dishes I make. Mrs. Luo, I’ll make some vegetarian braised dishes for you to take back.”
Both of those esteemed individuals had given generous gifts, and she hadn’t given something in return. She needed to prepare something to take to them.
Mrs. Wei smiled, “That’s very thoughtful of you.”
Chen Feng first went to the upper room to hand the Guanyin Buddha statue to Chen Ming, instructing him to place it in the hall, and then handed him the red envelope and the two wax plum blossoms.
After that, Mrs. Wei started the fire, Chen Feng fried the braised ingredients, and Mrs. Wang washed some tofu, bean curd, and lotus root – easy-to-cook vegetarian dishes – and braised a small pot. It was already getting late, and if they delayed any further, they would miss other people’s dinner.
During the braising, they heard the laughter of several children like Lu, Dabao, as well as the barking of Zhui Feng and Wangcai, and surprisingly, the voice of Luo Mingcheng and Luo Mei along with a voice of the Tangyuan household servants.
Mrs. Wei smiled, “We live so close by now. If we don’t stop young miss, she’ll keep visiting your home frequently, and my little lads will be even more frequent.”
Chen Feng laughed, “It’s good for them to be frequent visitors. I love children. We have few family members, so having more children around makes it lively.”
Mrs. Wei looked at her and smiled, “Ms. Feng, you’re almost sixteen years old, you can’t delay this any longer. Tell me, what kind of person do you want to find? Let me help you look around. A girl with such an extraordinary appearance should be matched with a good young man.”
Mrs. Wang, pleased, looked up and said, “Then I’ll thank Mrs. Wei in advance. You’ve seen it for yourself – my A’Feng is beautiful, kind, and skilled.” She sighed, “But A’Feng’s situation is unique. She’s the head of a female household and she have a son. It’s not easy for a young man to marry into such a family. Those with exceptional conditions may not be willing to step forward. We’re thinking of finding a good young man for her, someone with a good heart, capable, not just looking for an easy life. It doesn’t matter if he’s not wealthy, the key is that he’s a good person. Ideally, he should also be talented and not too unattractive.”
When it came to men and marriage, Chen Feng didn’t show much hesitation. It was indeed a practical concern. Women in ancient times married early, she had seen how eager 12-year-old Chen Jue was.
Though she had prepared herself for the possibility of not finding a suitable match and raising Dabao alone, that was her worst-case scenario. If there was a decent man, she wanted to find him. Having someone to rely on, the household would be livelier with a few more children.
Unlike the girls of this era who would feel embarrassed and run away from such discussions, Chen Feng, after hearing Mrs. Wang, even added with a smile, “It’s okay if he’s just slightly talented, but the key is to be clean. I can’t stand a sloppy man who doesn’t brush his teeth or wash his feet every day…” This was something she was quite insistent about and had to say.
Before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Wang gave her a slap and scolded, “Oh, you silly girl! You’re embarrassing yourself. Aren’t you afraid of being teased by Mrs. Wei?”
Chen Feng replied, “It’s because it’s Mrs. Wei that I’m speaking the truth. What’s there to be embarrassed about? If I can’t find a suitable man, I’ll simply remain unmarried.”
Hearing her mention “marriage,” Mrs. Wei burst into laughter. “Ms. Feng, the conditions you’ve set are neither high nor low. A man who brushes his teeth every day is considered to be quite well-off at home. But in a family that’s well-off, life is definitely better. Such a person may not be willing to step forward. If a young man doesn’t have much money and life isn’t too comfortable, he probably won’t be as sensitive regarding his body. In fact, if the young man is a bit less unhygienic, it’s not a big deal. After marriage, you can help him become cleaner.”
Chen Feng shook her head and said, “The leopard can’t change its spots. Habits of being unclean are hard to correct.”
In her past life, she was just like this, particularly fond of men who were neat and tidy and especially disliking those who neglect their body.
Mrs. Wei asked again, “If there’s a man with good conditions who wants to marry you and is willing to take Dabao into his family, but he’s not willing to come forward, would you be willing to transfer your household registration back to your natal home and marry him?”
Chen Feng smiled, “If I marry and leave, what about little Yan? I would really feel reluctant to leave her.”
Mrs. Wei smiled, “The girl will grow up. If there’s a suitable man, settle the marriage first. When young miss is a little older and in better health, you can get married. You can’t delay such an important matter just for the sake of the young miss. So, if there’s a good young man, would you be willing to marry?”
Mrs. Wang quickly added, “If the young man is really outstanding, we would be willing to marry her off.”
Chen Feng, however, pursed her lips, shook her head, and said, “I think there’s hardly a man who could make me think that way.”