Chapter 62: Concealing Private Matters

While it’s one thing to say, Mrs. Wang, who came from an embroidery background, also had a progressive aesthetic sense. Intuitively, she felt that these dolls would surely look good, so she earnestly started embroidering flowers on the satin specified by Chen Feng.

Before long, they heard Mrs. Hu’s loud voice from the old courtyard, but they paid no attention. If she was willing to do it, then let her do it, they wanted to see if Tangyuan was within her means.

It turned out that last night, when Mrs. Hu returned home, she heard from her daughter, Chen Jue, that Hu Cuicui said that Steward Luo had rushed to the second branch with a carriage, and it seemed like someone saw him taking out a lot of beautiful satin from the carriage.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Hu gritted her teeth and cursed, “The heartless stuff, they didn’t give us the good things, only some lousy candy and snacks. They bought some cotton and fine cloth to make padded jackets for your father, and your father was even touched. Stingy stuff, they only gave it to your grandma and your father, not even to me.”

Chen Jue coquettishly said, “Mother, go to the second branch and ask for some satin for me. I want to make some pretty clothes.”

Mrs. Hu nodded in agreement and added, “Make two outfits for your uncle and Cuicui as well.”

After returning to her room, she angrily said to Chen Ye, “I’ve long said that your second brother is not as sincere as your third brother, but you didn’t believe me. You help him work as if it’s your own family’s business. Yesterday, many families in the village saw Steward Luo give the second house a lot of satin, but they hid it and only gave our family a bit of candy and snacks…”

Upon hearing that Chen Ming was hiding things, Chen Ye also felt uncomfortable. He had always felt that if they were brothers, they should be united and help each other. He was willing to help his brother, but he hoped that his brother wouldn’t forget his efforts and could hold him in high regard.

Previously, Mrs. Hu often said that Chen Ming was not as good as Chen Shi, and he was unwilling to hear that. He was also particularly unhappy that Mrs. Hu asked for things from Chen Ming. He felt that his younger brother’s family was poor and had a difficult life. Now that his younger brother’s family was doing better, he often thought of him and frequently brought food to the house, making him very happy. It wasn’t that he cared about the food, he was happy that Chen Ming held him in high regard.

But if they did indeed get all that satin and hid it without telling him, it wouldn’t sit well with him.

If he told them, would he be able to take it from them?

He didn’t want Mrs. Hu to know his thoughts, so he said, “What nonsense, second brother is not that kind of person. It must be those people who got it wrong and spread rumors.”

Mrs. Hu didn’t believe that those people got it wrong. She had always felt that the second branch was not sincere. Some of the embroiderers could earn a few taels of silver a month, but Mrs. Wang said she couldn’t even earn one tael. She pretended to be poor every day, who would believe it?

She thought about it for most of the night and still felt that she should let Dahua and Daya go with Dabao to Tangyuan. She had always felt that her grandchildren were much better than Dabao, and since Dabao could catch the attention of Steward Luo and the nobles, her grandchildren should be even more endearing. If the master of Tangyuan even left the slightest opening, it would be enough for her family to live comfortably.

After Chen Ye and Chen Gui went to work, she secretly brought Dahua and Daya.

When Dabao saw the three of them, he asked them to sit in the courtyard and said that he was waiting for Steward Luo to come and pick him up. He also said that his grandfather and uncle were not feeling well and were still sleeping in bed, and his grandmother was busy outside.

Mrs. Hu wanted to go to the new courtyard but found the door was locked, and people were sleeping in both rooms, so she couldn’t go. She had no choice but to sit with the children in the courtyard.

Dahua and Daya played happily with Qiqi, Gray, and Zhui Feng. Mrs. Hu watched the two birds while lost in thought.

Around half-past nine, Steward Luo arrived.

As soon as Dabao saw Steward Luo, he quickly got up and greeted, “Steward, sir.”

Steward Luo’s face darkened slightly, feeling irritated. He had already explained to this family that they wouldn’t have any more designs on the child and the birds, and yesterday, he even brought so much satin and gifts. Even if they were to make dolls, how much satin would they need? It was all due to his madame’s compassion. He had specifically said to let the child go to Tangyuan by himself, yet why things turn out like this.

He initially thought this family was sensible and would let the child go by himself today, but it turned out they were waiting for him to come and fetch him.

He didn’t even enter the house, standing outside the gate, saying, “Dabao, I’ve come to pick you up. Let’s go.”

Dabao didn’t move, pointing to the two children beside him, saying, “This is my brother, Dahua, and this is my sister, Daya. They also want to go to Tangyuan with me to play.”

Steward Luo looked at Dahua and Daya in a daze. He had already inquired, and there was no mention of Dabao having a brother and sister, they were definitely the children of the Chen family’s main house.

Finally getting a chance to speak, Mrs. Hu walked over, smiling, “Steward Luo, I am Dabao’s grandmother, and these are my grandchildren, Dahua and Daya. In terms of cleverness, they are much better than Dabao. They also want to go with Dabao to accompany the little noble to play. Wouldn’t it be livelier with a few more children?”

Because she was going to meet Steward Luo, Mrs. Hu had dressed up. She specially took out a set of lake-blue embroidered silk jacket from the bottom of the trunk, inserted two silver hairpins in her hair, and even put on some rouge. However, the jacket didn’t fit very well; it was something she had asked for from her daughter-in-law, Zhang, who had returned to her hometown a few years ago. Although she had put it aside, it was still a bit short and tight.

Steward Luo had never seen such an audacious woman. He internally snorted, did they think Tangyuan was just a small grove at the east end of the village that they could visit whenever they pleased? Not to mention that their young miss was sick and couldn’t see strangers, even if she wasn’t sick, it wasn’t something these commoners could just decide.

Seeing Steward Luo standing there without saying a word, Mrs. Hu spoke again, “Dabao’s mother was originally a fool, really stupid. Dabao is not smart either, not as clever as my children.”

Mrs. Hu’s words turned Chen Dabao’s face red, and he twisted his fingers, not daring to speak.

Steward Luo was very shrewd, upon hearing Mrs. Hu’s words and seeing the situation, he immediately understood what was going on. He had always thought this family was relatively sensible and wouldn’t resort to such tactics. It was enough to bully a person, saying in front of their child that his mother was a fool, and the child didn’t dare to say more. He must have been bullied by this woman.

Steward Luo’s expression darkened even more, his demeanor imposing, and Daya was already cowering behind Mrs. Hu, while Dahua didn’t dare to step forward.

Mrs. Hu was furious, smiling at Steward Luo while forcibly pulling Daya forward. Terrified, Daya burst into tears.

Seeing Mrs. Hu’s behavior, Dabao’s face grew even redder. He felt even more repulsed by Mrs. Hu, but she was still his relative, and it was also damaging his reputation.

Steward Luo coldly sneered, “Just because your children are clever, they should accompany out young miss to play? What a joke. There are plenty of people in the world who consider themselves clever. Can young miss accommodate all of them?”

Mrs. Hu didn’t expect it to turn out this way, her children were indeed better than Dabao. She hurriedly added, “I didn’t make it up, indeed, my children are a bit smarter. I heard that your young miss is a girl, so she should prefer to play with girls, right?”