Ci Jinzhi

Outside the bookstore, Sun Yan was hiding in a hiding place and stared at the door of the bookstore. His palms were all sweaty because of nervousness.

Time had never felt so slow to him, and the sweet chirping of birds coming from the trees became extremely noisy.

After suffering like this for an unknown amount of time, I finally saw Xin You walking out of Qingsong Bookstore. A woman in a blue cloth dress was a few steps behind, her body slightly bowed, as many servants do to their master.

Sun Yan's eyes fell on the woman's face and never moved away.

It’s Cui Niang!

Although they had been separated for more than ten years, the poor and bumpy life left deep marks on the woman's face. She was no longer as beautiful as he remembered, but he still recognized her at a glance.

Xin You walked very slowly, Shitou Niang walked two steps behind her, unconsciously slowly getting further and further away from Sun Yan.

Sun Yan was watching eagerly, and suddenly Shitou Niang glanced back. He was so frightened that he immediately ran back, his heart beating wildly.

Xin You took Shitou Niang into the carriage and went to the embroidery workshop.

The embroidery workshop is indeed researching new patterns. Shitou Niang has been doing sewing work all year round. Although she is not good at embroidery, she has some experience in basic styles.

After such exchanges, Shitou Niang seemed to be in a good mood on the way back to the bookstore.

"If Sister-in-law Sun likes the embroidery workshop, you can go to the embroidery workshop to work."

Stone Girl was stunned for a moment and shook her head: "My boss is joking, the little woman's hands are so rough, she can't touch those fine fabrics. It's good to be in the bookstore. I can see Stone at any time, which makes me feel at ease."

"The stone is also fourteen, right?"

"It's exactly fourteen this year."

"It's so fast. It's the first time I see Shitou. He looks like a child."

Stone Girl looked sad and happy as she murmured: "Yes, it's so fast."

"Did it remind Sister-in-law Sun of something sad?" Xin You apologized.

"No. My boss knows that the little woman brought the stone to Beijing to find his father. After so many years, she has given up long ago. We, the two of us, have been able to meet so many kind people from our boss and Shopkeeper Hu, and we are now living as we are now. Contented."

Xin You moved her lips, wondering what if Daddy Shitou showed up?

But he still held back.

She didn't even know if Sun Yan was indeed Shitou's father, whether his appearance would be good or bad for the mother and son who lived a stable life.

After sending Shitou Niang back to the bookstore and explaining some things to Shopkeeper Hu, Xin You went to the place she had made an appointment with Sun Yan.

Sun Yan had already drank several cups of tea, but his voice was still very dry: "Stone Mother...is our wife..."

Xin You didn't answer, and Sun Yan thought to himself: "That year, my family was really in trouble. In order to have a good life in the future, I left Cuiniang temporarily and went to Beijing to pursue my career. Unexpectedly, I became seriously ill and was thrown into a mass grave by the shop owner. After I died, I was penniless after I survived. Even when I was begging, people thought I was young and unwilling to give alms. Finally, I had no choice but to purify myself and enter the palace..."

Sun Yan never mentioned such unspeakable past events to anyone, but seeing Shi Shi and his son today had such a great impact on him that he couldn't help but tell Xin You.

"Didn't Eunuch Sun send someone to his hometown to look for someone later?"

"I went, my hometown was hit by a disaster, the whole village was gone..."

Xin You listened silently and asked, "When does Eunuch Sun plan to meet Sister Sun and Shitou?"

Sun Yan's expression changed: "Our family has no intention of recognizing each other!"

Xinyou raised his eyebrows.

Sun Yan lowered his head and took a sip of tea. The hand holding the tea cup couldn't help shaking: "How can our families recognize each other..."

After his wife and children lived a stable life, he suddenly appeared in front of them, letting Cuiniang and Shitou know that the person they had been looking for for so many years had become an eunuch? Sun Yan couldn't breathe when he thought about this scene.

No, no, no, absolutely not!

He immediately bowed to Xin You: "Xin Daizhao, please keep our family's secret secret."

"But if this is the case, Sister-in-law Sun will always be thinking about her." Xin You reminded.

This is a family matter. Sun Yan doesn't want to recognize her because she is special. She can't make her own decision and talk to Sister Sun.

Sun Yan smiled bitterly: "That's fine, at least in Cuiniang's heart, I am still her husband. It doesn't matter if you speculate that I am dead, or that I got along well and abandoned her. It is better than letting her know that her husband has become a rootless eunuch. powerful."

"I see."

"Thank you so much for your support."

Sun Yan looked at Xin You and felt eager. He had countless questions to ask about Shi Shi and his son, but in the end he suppressed them all.

From the look on Cuiniang's face, he could tell that she was doing well now. If he wanted to know more, he could just ask around slowly.

Xin You had something to ask him: "Eunuch Sun went to Qingsong Bookstore today to congratulate you?"

Sun Yan was stunned for a moment, then nodded after hesitating for a long time.

If he hadn't discovered the existence of Cuiniang and Shitou, he would have been on business, but it was different now.

He didn't want Cui Niang to know his current situation, and he was grateful to Xin You for taking care of their mother and son. No matter from which aspect, he was not merciful.

In terms of loyalty to Emperor Xingyuan, Sun Yan certainly had it, but in many things it could be big or small. For example, whether He Qingxiao knew Xinyou's identity a long time ago, this answer would determine He Qingxiao's life or death, but it was of no concern to the emperor.

It had long been known that the emperor was angry and killed He Qingxiao to vent his anger. Unknowingly, He Qingxiao escaped, Xin You felt relieved, and the emperor was less angry.

Sun Yan quickly convinced himself and had a choice: "Master He liked to go to Qingsong Bookstore to read books several years ago, right?"

"That's right." Xin You heard what Sun Yan meant and raised the corners of her lips, "Eunuch Sun can have a chat with Shopkeeper Hu. Shopkeeper Hu knows it."

"That's okay." Sun Yan simply agreed.

He wanted to report to the emperor, so those who should ask would naturally ask.

Soon Sun Yan met with Shopkeeper Hu.

Shopkeeper Hu had already learned the identity of the eunuch from Xin You, and when asked by Sun Yan, he told about He Qingxiao: "Sir, Mr. He loved to come to our bookstore to read books a few years ago. He just didn't want to buy..."

After hearing this, Sun Yan's mouth twitched.

Is Marquis Changle too poor or too thick-skinned?

It's a pity that shopkeeper Hu doesn't know what Sun Yan is thinking, otherwise he might have to reply: They all...

Asking about He Qingxiao's situation was just for errands. Sun Yan didn't get to the bottom of it. He lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and asked about Shi Shi's mother and son.

Speaking of Mother Shitou and her son, Shopkeeper Hu talked a lot. He talked about the difficulty of the mother and son's new arrival in the capital, and also talked about Shitou's illness: "I gave him half a year's salary in advance, but being sick means burning money. No matter what, it's not enough." Shitou's kid was lucky. He met his boss who was visiting the bookstore. At that time, his boss was not the owner of our bookstore. Seeing Shitou's pity, he gave him two taels of silver on the spot. Later, he even arranged an easy job for Shitou's wife. Son……"

After hearing this, Sun Yan's attitude toward Xin You changed. If it was gratitude before, now it is deep gratitude.

This saved Cui Niang’s life!

After Shopkeeper Hu finished speaking, he asked in confusion: "Do you know Shitou?"