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The entire afternoon had passed, and the Shen family’s courtyard had finally returned to tranquility.
Currently present at the Shen residence were not only the members of the Shen family but also four individuals from the Zhang family, Song Shi’s relatives, and the two people brought back by Ji Xun.
As the late August evening grew stuffy inside the house, everyone decided to move chairs and gather in the courtyard for a conversation.
The conversation gradually shifted to discussions about several grandchildren from various families.
Sitting beside Song Shi, Gao Shi asked, “How is the eldest son from your village head doing?”
Gao Shi’s question made Song Xiao Ni blush immediately.
It wasn’t entirely her fault; this afternoon, a group of women had engaged in a heated discussion, and as they talked, their voices had grown louder. They frequently glanced at her, making it nearly impossible for her not to overhear.
Unable to endure it any longer, Song Xiao Ni stood up, stomped her foot, and dragged Shen Yu’an away.
Gao Shi chuckled and said, “Xiao Ni is quite shy. Let’s continue. How is Zhu Yushan doing, and are his family members easy to get along with?”
……
In the evening, everyone else had left the Shen residence.
It was only then that the Shen family realized they hadn’t properly arranged things for the two individuals Ji Xun had brought along.
Seeing the curious expressions of the Shen family members, Ji Xun took the initiative to introduce them, saying, “This is my master, and the one next to him is a servant who looks after his daily needs.”
“Master, I’ve already mentioned these details to you. This person is…”
With so many members of the Shen family, Ji Xun went through introductions one by one. His mouth became dry from all the talking, so after finishing, he picked up a large glass of water and drank it down.
“So, you are Mr. Ji,” Grandpa Shen remarked. “Ji Xun has mentioned you to us quite some time ago, and today we finally meet. Mr. Ji, you truly possess an air of nobility and wisdom.”
Mr. Ji, the elderly master, smiled and replied, “On the way here, Ji Xun also told me about his experiences in your family. If it weren’t for all of you, this young man might have lost his life long ago. This is a great favor.”
“An Ling.”
Upon hearing this, the other young man Ji Xun had brought along immediately took out a pouch from his pocket and handed it to Mr. Ji.
“This is a small token of gratitude. We appreciate the care you’ve provided to Ji Xun during this time.”
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Grandpa Shen quickly declined, saying, “Mr. Ji, there’s no need for such formalities. We consider Ji Xun as part of our family, and everything we’ve done for him is just a matter of course.”
After some back-and-forth, it was Mr. Ji himself who insisted that they would stay at the Shen residence for a while, considering it as their food and lodging expenses.
Grandpa Shen, holding the little girl in his arms, saw a pouch being waved in front of her. She swiftly grabbed it and held it up before him.
Then, with a gentle release, the pouch landed in Old Mr. Shen’s lap with a soft thud.
The little girl, seated in Old Mr. Shen’s lap, turned around with difficulty, as if she had discovered something intriguing. She reached out and grabbed Mr. Ji’s beard.
Zhang Shi quickly stood up, gently moved the little girl’s hand away, offered an apology, and then cradled the child in her own arms, positioning herself farther from Mr. Ji.
The pouch was now in Grandpa Shen’s lap, and he reluctantly accepted it. It felt heavy, but it wasn’t the touch of silver.
Grandpa Shen felt it, and it seemed like banknotes.
Oh my, this pouch seems ready to burst, how many banknotes could it possibly contain?
Meanwhile, in the Zhu family’s residence, everyone had gathered around Zhu Yushan and was questioning him about the events of the day.
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Wu Shi spoke up and asked, “What’s the story behind that Song family girl from earlier today?”
Zhu Yushan scratched the back of his head and responded off-topic, “What story?”
Wu Shi pinched his ear and chuckled, saying, “If you won’t spill the beans, let me remind you. Last time, when a girl showed an interest in you, you refused to go. I thought you didn’t like that kind of girl, so I’ve been scouting a few potential matches for you these days. Starting tomorrow, you’ll visit each family one by one.”
Zhu Yushan quickly declined, “I’m not going.”
Wu Shi paid no heed to his protest and continued to plan, “You’ll visit each of them in the next few days and see which one suits your taste. Once you’re engaged, hurry up and give me a grandson. Look at those two kids from the Shen family, how adorable they are.”
Zhu Yushan stated, “I won’t go. I already have someone I like.”
“Who is it?”
Now, it wasn’t just Wu Shi asking; everyone’s eyes were shining brightly, resembling an audience eager for gossip.
Zhu Yushan feared that if he didn’t explain now, his mother would drag him to meet potential marriage partners tomorrow.
Since he had brought it up, he decided to be straightforward, “I like Miss Xiao Ni, the young lady from the Song family, she’s the cousin of the Shen family. Mother, you can go to her house to propose.”
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Zhu Yushan worked at a papermaking workshop, so like everyone else, he referred to Shen Yu’an as Young Miss.
Zhu Yushan’s younger brother asked, “Second Brother, when the Shen family first arrived and wanted you to meet prospective matches, did you have such thoughts?”
Zhu Yushan replied, “Yes, but at that time, Miss Xiao Ni had already left, and I didn’t know where she had gone.”
Wu Shi knocked Zhu Yushan’s head with frustration, saying, “You foolish boy, you couldn’t even inquire about her whereabouts after she left. If it weren’t for your negligence, my grandchild might have been born by now.”
Zhu Yushan, rubbing his head, said, “Well, Mother, you find a way to go propose early, or else you’ll have to wait even longer for your grandchild.”
…
The next day, Shen Dalang and his friends claimed they were going to meet their old classmates in town, and they invited their neighbor, Zhang Wendong, to join them.
Shen Ming and Shen Yun drove them to town and took the opportunity to check on the situation in the bookshops there.
Meanwhile, at home, Shen Yu’an was intercepted by Mr. Ji on his way.
“I’ve heard that Miss Shen has come up with a more cost-effective method for papermaking. I wonder if it’s convenient for this old man to visit your workshop and take a look?” Mr. Ji inquired.
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Shen Yu’an led the way ahead and replied, “There’s nothing that can’t be done, Mr. Ji. Please follow me.”
The papermaking workshop was a few hundred meters away from the Shen residence. Along the way, Mr. Ji said, “Yesterday’s visit was rushed, and I haven’t had the chance to thank you for saving my life last year.”
As he spoke, he took out a safety charm and handed it to Shen Yu’an, saying, “Miss, you saved my life once. When I passed by a temple, I prayed for you and got this safety charm. I hope you’ll accept it.”
“Saving your life?” Shen Yu’an couldn’t recall when she had seen this old man before, let alone saved him.
Mr. Ji smiled and replied, “People tend to forget favors from those of higher status. About a year ago, in Yunxi Town, you saved my life from a group of ruffians. However, you and your uncles left in a hurry and didn’t have time for me to express my gratitude.”
Yunxi Town… Wasn’t that the place they lived before the famine?
Shen Yu’an replayed the events from that time in her mind and looked at Mr. Ji, then back at An Ling, and finally, she began to recall vaguely.
It seemed she had indeed rescued an elderly man with a cane from some ruffians back then.
And he was Ji Xun’s master!
Understanding what Mr. Ji was talking about, Shen Yu’an took the safety charm, which was made from ordinary material, without hesitation.
“It was just something I did on a whim, Mr. Ji. You don’t need to worry about it.”
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