Font Size:
Shen Yu’an had no intention of denying them the opportunity to go back home, but she found it peculiar that Hua Nan, in the middle of the night, was feeding mosquitoes in the courtyard while contemplating the idea of going home.
She initially mentioned arranging transportation for the two siblings to return, then asked, “What made you suddenly decide to go back now?”
Hua Nan didn’t hide anything and expressed his concern, “I had another bad dream just after falling asleep and wanted to go back to check on things.”
Another one? Had there been other bad dreams at different times?
Thinking this, Shen Yu’an started asking more questions.
She walked to a stone table and sat down, also taking the opportunity to light a lantern hanging nearby.
Hua Nan sat down as well, and in the glow of the lantern, Shen Yu’an could see that his worry was even deeper.
“I dreamed that something bad had happened to my parents, and my sister and I have been away for quite some time. I thought it was time to go back and see our parents and the other members of our clan.”
“We’ve been a bit of trouble these days as my sister and I are still young….”
Shen Yu’an didn’t let Hua Nan finish his sentence before she reached across the table and ruffled his furry head.
Since he had already slept for a while, Hua Nan had forgotten to tidy his hair when he had his bad dream. Now his hair was a messy tuft atop his head, providing a delightful texture to her touch.
Interrupting Hua Nan, Shen Yu’an pretended to be angry and said, “You’ve got quite the nerve, daring to separate yourself from us.”
“Tomorrow, at first light, I’ll help you pack, and I’ll arrange for a few people to escort you to the edge of the forest.”
“Thank you, An’An.”
Shen Yu’an comforted him once again, reassuring him not to worry so much, and that she would arrange their return home as quickly as possible.
As for Hua Ling, the carefree one, she only learned about their plan to return home the next day. She had thoroughly enjoyed her year with the Shen family since leaving home. Originally, she hadn’t felt homesick at all, but when her brother mentioned it, she suddenly felt a pang of homesickness.
Shen Yu’an acted swiftly, and on the second day, she helped Hua Nan and Hua Ling prepare their belongings. Since they were leaving, they couldn’t continue attending school, so they took a leave of absence from their classes with Shen Rong.
With their leave of absence announced, the Shen family soon learned about Hua Nan and Hua Ling’s departure. Grandma Shen had Song Shi and others come to town to help prepare for the siblings’ departure. The remaining family members also spent quality time with the two who were about to leave.
After an entire day of shopping, the three strong-willed women had two carts filled with clothes, food, daily necessities, and various trinkets to bring back.
The task of purchasing the items was entrusted to Song Shi and her group, while Shen Yu’an returned to the campsite in the mountains behind Longxian Village to select a team to escort Hua Nan and Hua Ling on their journey.
The day of departure came quickly. Once the things they needed to bring and the escorting team were ready, Hua Nan and Hua Ling embarked on their journey back home.
With two people suddenly missing from the household, there was an initial period of adjustment for the family members. However, it didn’t take long for everyone to be consumed by their own busy activities.
Shen Yu’an, in particular, was quickly drawn back to her attention on the grain store.
After Sun, the shopkeeper, bought all the grain that day, he quickly transported a portion of it to other locations for sale. However, the grain’s sales in the following days were not as smooth as the initial reports had indicated. Even on the scheduled dates when those who had ordered the grain were supposed to come and purchase it, there were long delays without any customers showing up. Finally, Sun, the shopkeeper, started to sense that something was amiss.
He summoned several responsible individuals from the grain stores and questioned them about the customers who had placed orders – who they were, what their names were, where they lived, whether they had paid a deposit, and so on.
The responses he received were all either “I don’t know” or “they haven’t paid.” Sun, the shopkeeper, became so frustrated that he nearly fainted from anger.